Secrets and Ties
by Simaril
Summary: A soul needs more than just physical and emotional comfort. When you've waited centuries for your mate, how much longer are you willing to wait until she realizes it? What lengths are you willing to go to be with her...forever? AU OOC
1. Chapter 1: Definitely Leaving

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**Disclaimer: **All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Special thanks to Snarkymuch, Gredelina1, Arrr, Augustmoon. Verseseven and Mary-Alice-Brandon-Cullen for pre-reading this. Also to LJ Summers for her guidance. **

**The was pre-read by** **jtmd24 and beta'd by Maxipoo1024 from Sparkly Red Pen. Thank you ladies.**

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><p><strong>Chapter One — Definitely Leaving<strong>

**Jasper POV**

I stood at the back of the room, trying to remain inconspicuous, or as inconspicuous as a vampire could get in a room full of humans. I was being observed both obviously and discreetly. Males were giving me assessing looks, analyzing my unnaturally appealing physique, comparing it to their own. The years passed, but there were some things that never changed. They were doing the mental equivalent of arm wrestling with me and judging themselves the victors. Some of the females were watching me. Their emotions showed the real source of their interest: lust and longing radiated from them.

I felt no pleasure in this. It was just the lure of my kind that attracted them, and I had no interest in pursuing them. It was fine for my cousins to take pleasure in humans. They had mastered their control centuries ago. I was not yet able to risk close contact with humans. My presence here was about the limit of my restraint.

I wouldn't have come at all, but the estate sale was for the property of a deceased silversmith of high reputation, and I was hoping to find a gift for Alice. The anniversary of our first meeting was approaching, and it was my custom to buy her something to mark the occasion. It was the very least I could do. She had saved me from a dark life and had brought me to the family I loved.

I had thought that we were going to be more than companions when we first met. We had traveled together for two years, before locating the Cullens, and had taken comfort in each other both emotionally and physically. My hopes were dashed when we arrived at the Cullen house. We were explaining our arrival to a bemused Carlisle, Esme, and Rosalie when Emmett and Edward arrived home from their hunt.

Edward had initially been on guard when he saw me. The scars that marred my skin showed my threat as an opponent. His wariness disappeared when he saw Alice; he was immediately enthralled. Within a month of our arrival, they were a couple, and I'd become the singleton in a family of mated pairs.

The auctioneer stepped up to his makeshift podium and introduced himself. The door opened and a young woman slipped in. I noted the unnatural grace with which she moved, even as her scent reached me.

Vampire.

And not just any vampire, but one with the golden eyes only achievable through a diet of animal blood.

She showed no surprise at seeing me, not even the usual caution at my visible scars. Instead, she nodded curtly in greeting and took a place at the opposite side of the room.

She seemed completely unaware of my scrutiny, flipping through the catalog of items on sale as the auctioneer started the bidding on a mahogany armoire.

I had no interest in furniture. The piece I wanted was an engraved pendant. I listened to the auctioneer as he skillfully worked the crowd, his rattling speech serving to increase the humans excitement. The emotional tenor of the room was invigorating and combined with the arrival of this unknown vampire, I was almost twitching with eagerness.

The female laughed quietly, watching me as I battled with myself, trying to at least remain calm if not dignified. She had a lovely laugh; it was gentle and soft. She was slim with a subtle curve to the hips and chest. Her mahogany hair was pinned away from her face, accentuating her elegant neck and heart shaped face. Her scent was a blend of jasmine, orchid, and fennel. It combined to make a lovely scent that I wished I could draw deep breaths of.

I shook away these musings. They were so unlike me it was a little unnerving. I was grateful Edward wasn't with me. He would be laughing, fit to burst, if he could hear my thoughts, not to mention what Emmett would say.

The auctioneer started the bidding on a silver Claddagh ring. It was beautiful, but not an appropriate gift for me to buy Alice. Edward had no issues with the bond Alice and I shared, but he may raise an eyebrow if I bought her a ring with this connotation.

The unknown vampire straightened as the bidding began. Her emotions showing just how much she wanted this ring. Whatever the reason, she was determined, and it was affecting me too. I watched as the bids grew higher and higher, until it was just her and a middle aged man. I had a feeling he was less interested in the ring and more intent on impressing her with his bulging wallet; he was failing. Though her expression remained calm, almost disinterested, she was raging against him. I wished for Edward's gift. What I wouldn't give to know what she was thinking.

The bidding climbed until it was at fourteen hundred dollars, and I waited for Mr. Bulging Wallet to make his next bid, but he didn't move. His expression was blank and his emotions vague and unfocussed. He looked a lot like Alice when she was in the grips of a vision. I looked to the vampire; she had abandoned her serene mask and was grinning broadly as the auctioneer brought down the gavel and took her number.

The middle aged man snapped back to attention, looking confused. His hand was half raised to bid when he realized it was over. I considered his behavior. There could be a perfectly reasonable explanation for it, a form of epilepsy, perhaps, but I had an inkling that it was not of natural origin. Judging by the vampire's satisfied look, it was in fact supernatural in origin.

The lot I wanted was coming up next. I hoped the humans had already emptied their pockets; I wasn't in the mood to deal with the macho posturing of these men as the vampire had. I had ample funds, but there was no need to waste it. It was a silver Celtic eternity knot pendant, simple but beautiful. Unlike Rosalie, who tended towards the ostentatious, Alice preferred simple understated jewelry. A stark difference to her choices in all other things, everything from her wardrobe to the way she walked was vibrant and lively.

Judging from the emotional tenor of the room, I was not going to have too much difficulty winning the pendant. It seemed the humans had indeed already spent enough. A spark of interest caught my attention, and I knew even without looking it had come from the vampire. I was not going to back down. I wanted this pendant, and I was going to get it.

The bidding started at one hundred dollars, and grew in increasingly larger increments until the few humans that were vying against me were done, and I was pitted against the curious vampire.

"How bad do you want it?" she asked quietly.

I did not answer her; I was not going to play her games. Whatever she had done to that man made me wary enough to avoid engaging her more than was necessary.

"Not feeling talkative?" she teased. "Hmm that's a pity…"

I glanced at her. She was smiling coyly, her amusement clear.

The bidding was still creeping up until it reached level that I balked at.

"You _really _want it don't you," she mused. "Well in that case…" The auctioneer looked at her to see if she would counter my bid, and she shook her head. The gavel hammered down, and I was declared the winning bidder.

It was the last lot and people surged towards the desk, ready to pay and collect. I hung back not wishing to be caught in the mosh of humans, but the vampire had no such concerns. She moved forward cutting a path to the front as the males stepped back, eager to impress, letting her through, much to the chagrin of the other females in the crowd.

It was amusing to watch the way she handled them with demure smiles and glances from beneath lowered lashes. I was reminded of the society females of my human life, their behavior contrived to make them look delicate and appealing. She was the least delicate being in the room, besides myself, and even that was in question given her little parlor trick with the other bidder. My gift, though useful, could hardly be classed as offensive. If she had been the one to affect the human, it bore watching.

We each had our self-appointed roles in the family; Edward monitored thoughts, looking for any sign that people were growing suspicious; Alice watched for events that affected us and kept our bank accounts in the black with her ability to read the stock market; and I was the strategist. My previous life meant I was more aware of the risks posed by others to our family.

This new vampire was a prime example of a risk.

I waited until the room had almost cleared and made my way over to pay for the pendant. I handed over my number card and reached for my wallet, pulling out my credit card.

"There is no need for that, sir," the cashier said. "The bill has been settled on your behalf by your sister."

"My sister?" I questioned. Neither Alice or Rosalie would have paid for me. Alice would be avoiding visions of me at the moment as I had asked for privacy so I could surprise her, and Rosalie was… well Rosalie.

"The young lady that was just here. I'm sorry I assumed she was your sister. Is she a friend?"

There was unmistakable longing in his voice. He had been dazzled by her beauty.

"Yes, a friend," I said vaguely, taking the boxed pendant and turning to leave.

"We have another sale in Juneau next week," he called after me. "You should come, bring your friend."

I didn't answer. I was not going to be attending, and even if I had been, I certainly wouldn't be inviting _her_ along. If my suspicions proved correct, the family would be vacating the area very soon anyway. It was not worth the risk to stay in the same place as a threat.

I exited the building and made my way over to the jeep. I heard the roar of an engine and turned to see the vampire straddling a huge motorbike. She winked at me, looking at the package in my hands.

"You didn't need to pay for it. I am more than capable of meeting my debts."

My tone was sharp, and if I was being honest, I knew it was not because I didn't want to be indebted to her. I was not so old fashioned that I thought women should be limited as they were in my youth, but the idea of a woman paying my way offended my male pride.

She chuckled. "It was worth it to enjoy your discomfort when I challenged you, empath."

"It did not make…" I trailed off as her words registered with me. "How do you know I'm an empath?"

"Wouldn't you like to know," she said, pulling on her helmet.

"Who are you? Why are you here?" I demanded, walking swiftly to her side.

"You need to calm down, empath," she warned.

As I moved closer, I could see her eyes that had been shadowed by the visor before. I halted in my tracks. Her eyes, that had been a clear honey gold before, were now a startling, vibrant crimson.

"What the hell?"

With a roar of sound, she gunned the engine and drove away.

_We were definitely leaving._

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading. If you would like a teaser of the next chapter let me know in a review or a PM.<strong>

**Simaril x**


	2. Chapter 2: His Mate

**.**

**Disclaimer:**All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Special thanks to Snarkymuch, Gredelina1, Arrr, Augustmoon. Verseseven and Mary-Alice-Brandon-Cullen for pre-reading this. Also to LJ Summers for her guidance.**

**The was pre-read by** **jtmd24 and beta'd by Maxipoo1024 from Sparkly Red Pen. Thank you ladies.**

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><p><strong>Chapter Two <strong>— His Mate<strong>**

**Jasper POV**

_We have to leave._

Edward heard my panicked thoughts as I approached the house. He met me on the porch; his eyes searched my own for any trace of red – understandable caution given my history – but became confused when he saw the clear gold.

"What happened?" he asked.

I ran through my encounter with the unknown female, showing him the way she had controlled the human, the way she had known I was an empath, and most worrying of all, the way her eyes had shifted color. To my great surprise, he didn't seem nearly as concerned as I was.

"I admit it is unusual, but we don't know that she is a threat. She may just be an unusually gifted vampire with an odd sense of humor."

He didn't understand. He hadn't seen the way she moved with predatory grace, her sly smile as she appraised me, the way her eyes switched from clear honey gold to striking crimson.

I felt a wave of humor from Edward. He was grinning broadly, radiating mirth.

"I fail to see what it is about this situation that can be called humorous." I was frustrated that he was misunderstanding me. She was a threat. I could feel it.

"I apologize," he said, schooling his features into a somber mask. "If you feel that strongly, we should discuss it with the others."

I nodded my agreement and we walked into the house. Edward called the rest of the family to join us. He led me to the dining room; our unofficial conference room. He took a seat at the table and I sat opposite him. The others filtered in, looking from my tense expression to Edward's poorly suppressed smile.

Carlisle took his seat at the head of the table, steepling his fingers together under his chin.

"What has happened?" His tone was calm, but he was concerned. It was rare for us to gather like this, and though my demeanor showed the gravity of the situation, Edward's amusement contradicted me.

"I met another vampire today," I stated. I launched into an explanation of all that had transpired between us. I tried to do a better job of communicating the threat I believed she posed than I had done with Edward.

"I agree this is unusual, but she may just be a nomad. There is no reason to believe she poses a threat," Carlisle said carefully.

Edward barked a laugh. Carlisle had essentially echoed his own words.

"I don't want to leave yet," Rosalie said obstinately. "We are not due to move for another three months. If we go to Washington now, we will have to move that much sooner next time."

"Yeah, how much of a threat can she be anyway?" Emmett questioned. "She's a lone vampire. We are a family of seven, not forgetting Tanya's coven. We should be able to handle one little girl."

I restrained from rolling my eyes with difficulty. Emmett was fearless, but he had lived a sheltered life in comparison to my own. He did not know the way the rest of the vampire world operated. We were an oddity to them, and that made us vulnerable.

"We should call Tanya," Alice suggested. "She may have met this vampire before, or Eleazar. His time with the Volturi would make it even more likely he has encountered her. Especially if you are right about her being gifted."

"That is a good idea," Carlisle agreed, pulling his cell phone out and dialing Tanya's number.

When she answered, her tone a little shaky. I was immediately alert, but it soon transpired she was fighting laughter rather than fear.

They exchanged pleasantries, then Carlisle explained my meeting with the unknown female, and asked if she knew of her.

"I know exactly who you mean," Tanya replied brightly. "Hold on, Eleazar wants to speak to you."

Eleazar? I knew it! She _was_ dangerous. Eleazar must have heard about her through his Volturi connection. They couldn't doubt me now. We _had _to leave.

Edward chuckled again. Though he looked innocently at the opposite wall, I was sure he was amused by my thoughts.

"Hello, Carlisle," Eleazar's smooth, measured voice greeted. "I understand Jasper has had an interesting encounter."

"Yes. As you can imagine, he is a little concerned. Have you met this vampire yourself?"

"I have," he said gravely. "Could I speak to Jasper please?"

Carlisle held out the phone to me. "Eleazar, what can you tell me about her?"

"Could you describe your meeting for me?"

That made perfect sense. Eleazar was a tactician just like me. He needed to know all the facts before he acted. Perhaps the Denalis would need to relocate, too.

As I considered this, Edward lost control of his mirth and began laughing hysterically. I stared at him incredulously. I had never seen him act like this before.

"Jasper, are you there?" Eleazar questioned, and I turned my attention back to the phone call.

"She is dangerous, Eleazar. I am certain of it. She seemed to control one of the humans, and she knew I was an empath, and her eyes changed color."

I was babbling now, but I was relieved to finally have someone who understood the seriousness of the situation. My thoughts brought forth another gale of laughter from Edward, in fact, everyone was looking amused now.

"I see," Eleazar said soberly. "What about her appearance, what did she look like?"

"She has a very slim figure, but still feminine. Her hair is mahogany and sort of wavy. She is exceptionally graceful and has a very slender neck. Her scent is unusual, floral but…"

I trailed off as I realized instead of listening to me attentively, Eleazar was in fact roaring with laughter.

"Eleazar," I said questioningly. "Is everything alright?"

"F-f-f-ine," he answered between chuckles.

"I do know the vampire you are talking about. She is staying with us at the moment. I assure you she is not a threat to you. She is–"

His words were cut off as Tanya voice called out. "Terrifying!" Her statement was followed by roars of laughter both through the phone and in the room with me.

"I must go," Eleazar said. "I will explain more when I see you, but rest assured that Isabella is not a threat to you or any of the family."

_Isabella. _That was a fitting name for her.

There was a click as he ended the call, and I handed the phone back to Carlisle.

I trusted Eleazar, and I knew he would never intentionally put any of us in harm's way, but I was still uneasy. I trusted my instincts and there had to be a reason she had made such an impact on me.

I restarted my pacing, considering the peculiarity of the conversation. Why had I become so detailed in describing her appearance? For the second time in a day, I found myself thinking and speaking in poetic terms. I had never behaved like this before.

"Well that's settled," Rosalie said firmly. "We are not moving. Is there anything else we need to discuss now that Jasper has finished his little fit of vapors?"

"Well there is one thing," Edward said, leaning forward in his seat. "Would anyone like to address Jasper's description of _Isabella._ I think it is very telling."

I had no idea what he was thinking, but Esme and Alice seemed to have caught on faster than I. Esme beamed at me and Alice was clearly thinking something to Edward as he was nodding happily.

"Can someone please explain what has got the womenfolk all worked up?" Emmett asked then quailed under Rosalie's fierce glare.

"Womenfolk?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I meant to say what has got the _ladies_ all worked up." He hurried to explain.

"Jasper has found his mate," Edward stated.

My knees buckled and I fell into a chair. "I don't think I have," I said weakly.

I looked at each of them, noting the varying range of happiness etched on their faces; from Esme's ecstatic grin, to Carlisle's understated smile, the light in his eyes showing the real depth of his happiness.

"She can't be my mate. I identified her as a threat, not as a potential companion. Why would I have done that if she was my mate?"

"It makes sense," Carlisle said thoughtfully. "Your unique background means you are constantly alert for signs of danger. When you saw her, your instincts drew her to your attention; but instead of seeing her for what she was, you saw her as a threat."

That _did _make sense. I had noted her attributes even as I assessed her as a threat. Her scent, her physical appearance.

I raked my hands though my hair in frustration. This was all so wrong. I did not love her, that I was sure of; but if allowed to, I knew I would soon enough.

"I'm no expert, but shouldn't he be happy about this?" Emmett stage whispered to Edward.

"What is troubling you, Jasper?" Esme asked softly.

"I was such an idiot. I was brash and rude. She isn't going to give me the time of day now." I looked to Alice imploringly. "Can you see her?"

"I haven't met her, so I can't search for her at will. You know the limitations of my gift," she scolded.

"Can you not search my future though, is she not with me?"

What would I do if I had destroyed my chances already? The thought made my heart clench. I recognized the changes she had wrought over me already. If she was able to affect me this much after one meeting, what would happen if we were fully mated?

Alice focused and opened her eyes a moment later. "I'm sorry, Jasper. I can't see anything of her."

I groaned, resting my forehead on the table.

"It doesn't necessarily mean she is not part of your future," Carlisle assured me. "It may just mean her unfamiliarity is blocking Alice."

I lifted my head from the table looking at him imploringly. "Do you really think so?"

He managed to hide his smile with effort, but his emotions gave away his feelings. He was feeling a surge of fond amusement at my predicament. I, alone, of the younger members of our family, was the only one that did not see Carlisle as a father. I was very fond of him but all I experienced before joining them meant I was ill equipped to accept him in such a role. It made him happy to see me now looking to him for advice and guidance and I made a mental vow to try and do it more in the future.

"I really think so." He said. "And I think if we are going to test this theory we are going to have to make a visit to the Denalis."

Esme looked as if she was about to burst with happiness. I knew she was eager to meet Isabella, she had worried about me remaining alone since Edward and Alice officially declared themselves. Like Carlisle I had not developed the same relationship with Esme as the others. I truly intended to rectify that. Starting with introducing her to Isabella.

I just hoped this meeting went a little better than our last.

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading. If you would like a teaser of the next chapter let me know in a review or a PM.<strong>

**Simaril x**


	3. Chapter 3: People Are Not For Studying

**.**

**Disclaimer:**All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Special thanks to Snarkymuch, Gredelina1, Arrr, Augustmoon. Verseseven and Mary-Alice-Brandon-Cullen for pre-reading this. Also to LJ Summers for her guidance.**

**The was pre-read by** **jtmd24 and beta'd by Maxipoo1024 from Sparkly Red Pen. Thank you ladies.**

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><p><strong>Chapter Three — People Are Not For Studying <strong>

**Bella POV**

I laughed as I gunned the engine and pulled away, leaving the empath coated in a fine layer of dust. I adored my bike; it was the closest I could get to running while remaining inconspicuous.

I had seen many inventions over the years and tended to shun them all as they came in and out of fashion. Those ghastly pocket telephones for instance, constantly beeping and ringing, interrupting life. I had no desire to be at someone's beck and call whenever they demanded; I had left _that_ life behind long ago. One technology I did appreciate was the motorbike, more agile than a motorcar and far more exciting.

The empath was interesting. He was clearly battle hardened, and that weight fell heavily on him, but at the same time, he had a certain allure about him that transcended his physical being. I saw how carefully he tried to hide his scars. He was definitely intriguing, and I would quiz Eleazar about him when I got back. I could, of course, talk to the sisters, but I had found despite their advanced age, they had adapted to the changing times to the point that they would fit in well at a common high school. _All that potential wasted._

I liked staying with Eleazar. I was almost able to relax and be myself fully. He and Carmen were the only ones that knew anything of who I truly was. To the others, I was an old friend that liked to travel. Which was half true, I _was _an old friend, and I truly did enjoy traveling; my life demanded it.

He had informed me upon my arrival that there was another coven in the area, though he called them _'family.'_ Such a quaint term, really, how desperately he clung to the remnants of humanity. There was nothing shameful about being in a coven. The bonds in my own were strong, though we did not feel the urge to christen anyone as father. No fathers for us, though I suppose there were brothers.

I pulled up at the house and gunned the engine a little for the sheer devilment of it.

Eleazar met me on the porch. He was attempting to look serious, but the twitching of his lips gave the game away.

"Did you have an enjoyable time?" he asked as I removed my helmet – an annoying but necessary part of the human charade.

"I certainly did. I met some fascinating people and bought myself a pretty bauble." I waved my hand, showing the ring I bought. "You like?"

"It's charming," he said, casting it an oblique glance. "I understand you met a member of our extended family at the sale. Gave him quite a turn in fact."

"I did?" I asked happily. "And I was barely even trying. What did the somber empath have to say about me? I like him you know. I would like to study him further."

"Isabella, people are not for studying," he said in exasperation.

"Yes, yes, I know." I waved a careless hand. "But what did he _say?"_

For some reason I could not fathom, it seemed vital to know how I had impacted him. I never cared before. I must be getting sentimental in my advanced years.

"Come inside and we can speak civilly," he suggested. This was another of Eleazar's new oddities, the need to emulate the humans even when we were completely alone. It seemed foolish to me. We could have this conversation standing on a glacier and be just as comfortable. I followed him into the house regardless and greeted Carmen and the sisters who were grouped around the roaring fireplace, chatting animatedly.

I flopped down into a chair, putting a hand to my brow theatrically. "Now will you tell me?" I asked with affected desperation.

"Well, we had a phone call just before your arrival, from Carlisle, the father." He caught my amused look. "The _patriarch,_ if you prefer, of the Cullens. His son, Jasper, had come home talking of a mysterious vampire. He was so stirred by your encounter, he implored them to leave the area at once."

"I scared him that much?" I said delighted. "I barely spoke to him. He must spook easy. Not nearly as interesting as I thought. Pity really, I had hoped he had a little more spirit than that."

"Jasper does not scare easily," Eleazar said. "He is a veteran of the southern wars. So I must ask, what did you do to him?"

_Jasper. _Hmm, that suited him.

"To _him_, not a thing. I may have cheated a little at the auction. There was an irritating human trying to impress me, it became tiresome." I shrugged unconcerned.

"He mentioned your eyes," Eleazar pressed.

"What could he possibly find interesting about my eyes?" I asked innocently, feeling the sensation of pooling venom as I flashed them from gold to red.

"I wish you wouldn't do that," he said, looking away. "It is disconcerting."

"As you wish." I ceased the change, leaving them a startling red.

"Isabella," he chided.

I switched them to the gold he seemed to find more appealing. "Better?"

"Much. Now why did you expose that little parlor trick to Jasper?" he asked.

"Because he was being a bore. I challenged him in his bids and clearly forced him to spend more than he intended. I felt it was only right that I settle the debt for him. He attempted to intimidate me, and I merely pointed out that I was not a shrinking violet."

Tanya, who had been silent up to now, snorted in a most unladylike fashion.

"Shrinking violet. You? And here I was thinking Jasper had more sense than that."

"He was a disappointment, it is true. I will have to do better next time. Tell me about the rest of his coven."

"Well there are seven in their _family._" He laid heavy emphasis on the word. "You have heard of Carlisle I am sure. He visited Volterra in the 1700s. He has a mate called Esme. He changed Emmett and Rosalie, who are a mated couple, and Edward, who found his mate in Alice. She and Jasper joined the family together about fifty years ago. You will like Carlisle, I think, he is a doctor."

"A medical doctor? He actually treats humans?"

"Indeed, he has developed his self control to the point that human blood holds no temptation to him." His eyes twinkled. "You are not so unique after all."

"Pshaw," I huffed. "Be that as it may, why on earth would he choose to treat humans?"

"That is a subject best discussed with him yourself," Carmen said. "He has a very interesting take on humanity. He may even be able to convince you."

"I doubt it. So when am I going to meet the illustrious Cullens? Should I pay them a house call? Give the empath another scare?"

"Really, Isabella. His name is Jasper, not empath. You really would benefit from learning some people skills," Kate scolded.

"I have plenty of skills already thank you very much," I replied. One of the downsides of staying here was the helpful 'advice' I received from the others. If only they knew…

"Yes, I think that is half the problem." She said it more to herself than to me. "I don't think you will need to pay them a visit. I have a feeling they are on their way here already."

"Wonderful." I clapped my hands together in excitement. "I will need to hunt before they get here. Need to make my grand entrance after all."

Eleazar shook his head in amusement. He was used to my theatrics, but the others looked a little bemused. They were never sure quite what to make of me. I baffled them, which I rather enjoyed.

I flitted out the back doors and ran toward the forest. I was in the mood for bear. I relished in the freedom of running. Here, I could push myself without fear of being seen by a human. I couldn't do this at home.

I eyed the mountain enviously. I had a mad desire to see just how far I would fall if I launched myself from the peak. Tanya advised against it. Apparently, the humans had a habit of strapping ropes to themselves and attempting to climb it. Plain foolishness if you asked me, like there weren't enough ways for them to kill themselves already.

I bent my knees and launched myself into the air. I spun like a top, an elated laugh bubbled up my throat. If the empath could see me now…

I shook my head, dispelling these thoughts. I had no reason to think of him now. He hadn't even been a worthy challenge. I would have expected more fire from a southern war veteran.

I would have to inspect him further. I wanted to know what made him tick. Also, what made him abandon the natural diet and lifestyle to live as part of a 'family' when he didn't have a mate binding him. Yes, he definitely warranted further study.

I caught the scent of a bear, wet fur and heat, not remotely agreeable, but I knew the taste would be much better. I tracked it to its den, and once I had sight of it, I blocked the scent. It was not conducive to a good appetite to smell the excrement clinging to your meal's hindquarters. Humans may have a fair amount of flaws, but personal hygiene was not one of them.

It was a boar, at least 800 lbs. I was going to get a good meal today. As it saw me approaching, it rose onto its hind legs, letting out a great roar of disapproval at my invasion. That was fine. It disapproved of my presence; I disapproved of its smell. Luckily, neither of us would have to suffer long.

It towered sixteen inches above my more than respectable five foot six inches, raising its snout to the air in an attempt to add height to intimidate. I usually enjoyed sparring with my meals, but I didn't have time today. With one swift merciful twist, I broke its neck. Pressing my lips to the heat of its jugular, I sank my teeth in and gulped down the blood, eager to finish before it cooled.

When the flow ceased, I dropped it to the ground and examined my clothes. I was neat as ever, which was a blessing. I wanted to make an impression on the new coven, and if I arrived with half my dinner spilled down my front, it would spoil the effect somewhat.

Looking down at the remains of my meal, I noted how pathetic it looked now and how pretty. Its fur was a pleasing light brown, almost blond. It would compliment my eyes nicely.

Breaking a branch from a tall poplar, I fashioned a travois and began pulling it along the ground behind me. It would be faster and easier to carry it over my shoulders, but that risked dirtying myself.

I made slow progress back to the house, cursing my vanity for the effort this entailed. I comforted myself with the thought of how pretty a rug I could make with it. Of course, it would clash horribly with red, so I would need to find myself a black bear to hunt sometime soon, too. I was not much good at scenting the different animals, but perhaps one of the Cullens would be able to assist me, the empath perhaps.

Approaching the house, I noted six new scents. I thought Eleazar had said there was seven. Perhaps I had given the empath – _Jasper,_ I reminded myself – such a scare he was unwilling to come. That would be inconvenient. How was I to examine him if he wasn't here? I inhaled deeply and caught the pleasing scent of lemon and sandalwood. He _was _here.

I looked down at my now slightly bedraggled looking bear and sighed. It was going to be tiresome to haul it to the coven's spacious outbuilding, but I knew Carmen would be displeased if I dragged it into the house.

An idea occurred to me, and I felt a surge of excitement. Taking a deep breath I screamed with my not inconsiderable volume.

"Eleazar!"

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for reading. If you would like a teaser of the next chapter let me know in a review or a PM.<strong>

**Simaril x**


	4. Chapter 4: Bully For Him

**.**

**Disclaimer: **All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Special thanks to Snarkymuch, Gredelina1, Arrr, Augustmoon. Verseseven and Mary-Alice-Brandon-Cullen for pre-reading this. **

**The was pre-read by** **jtmd24 and beta'd by Maxipoo1024 from Sparkly Red Pen. Thank you ladies.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Four — Bully For Him<strong>

**Jasper POV**

As we approached the Denali's home, I inhaled deeply, searching for a hint of Isabella's distinctive scent, ignoring the amused looks from my family. It was there, but weak; she wasn't in the house. I felt a wave of disappointment so intense it threatened to make my calm mask falter.

This was ridiculous. I had seen her only once, and yet, I was already grieving for her absence. If this was how it felt now, with only a tenuous bond, how would it feel if we actually allowed it to progress into mates?

"Don't worry, Jasper," Esme soothed. "I am sure she will be back soon. She is probably just hunting."

"I'm not worried," I lied.

"Yeah, you're peachy," Emmett stated. "But your emotions are another matter. You might want to get a better handle on your gift. It weakens your argument when you project all over the place."

I was mortified. They felt everything I felt. I concentrated on reigning in my emotions, cursing my contrary gift. Edward didn't project his thoughts to us all when he was feeling particularly emotional. Why must I be forced to share my feelings?

"We understand, Jasper," Edward attempted to reassure, evidently following my chaotic thoughts. "We have all been in your position. We felt the same way when each of our mating bonds were formed."

I nodded, attempting to look grateful, though I felt anything but. I was a private man by nature, and now that persona had been stripped away, leaving me feeling raw and exposed―all because of _her._

They heard us coming, and Tanya opened the door for us as we crossed the wide porch.

"Hello all," she greeted brightly.

She gave me an appraising look. Her emotional tenor was a mixture of curiosity and amusement. I was growing tired of providing entertainment for everyone. I much preferred my previous role as the quiet observer.

We exchanged the usual pleasantries and gathered in the vast lounge area.

"She will be back soon. She is hunting at the moment," Eleazar said gently.

"I didn't say anything," I said innocently.

"True, you didn't. Though your eyes have not stopped searching the room since you arrived, so I assumed you were looking for Isabella." He sounded like an over indulgent uncle talking to a child caught in misdeeds.

"How long have you known Isabella?" Carlisle asked. "You have never mentioned her before." Though he tried to hide it, there was a trace of hurt in Carlisle's voice. He and Eleazar were good friends, and we were all surprised to learn that Eleazar had a guest that had not been introduced.

"I have known her a _long_ time. She is very private and a rather…" he struggled for the right word "...unique character. She is unpredictable."

"Understatement," Irina quipped. "What he means to say is, Isabella is equally as likely to greet you with a kind word as she is to criticize your posture and correct elocution."

"But she is great fun though, never a dull moment when she is around," Kate added.

Wonderful, my mate, or potential mate, was an unpredictable elocution master with a propensity for creating drama. I was in for a wild ride.

As if to demonstrate my thoughts, a piercing scream cut through the air. "Eleazar!"

We leaped to our feet as one and made for the door. My mind was reeling. What could have happened?

"Stay here," Eleazar ordered as he flew out of the house.

I had no intentions of listening to him, but Tanya caught my arm. "Wait," she cautioned. "This is exactly what we mean about unpredictable."

She led me to the window looking out onto the rear of their property. I saw Eleazar sprinting toward the edge of the tree line, his concern battling his caution.

A figure came out of the trees dragging something behind her.

"Hey, is that a bear?" Emmett asked incredulously.

Kate snorted. "Yes. Lord knows why she has brought it back. I smell mischief."

We could hear their voices clearly through the glass, which of course meant they could hear us. I prayed that the family restrained themselves from mentioning the potential mating. It had caught me by surprise, and if she was still ignorant of it, this was not how I wanted her to find out.

"Why did you scream?" Eleazar asked.

"I was in a hurry," she said happily. "I knew you'd come faster if I screamed. It was the logical choice."

"In a hurry to do what exactly?" he asked. "And why have you brought your dinner back with you? You aren't usually one for left-overs."

"Leftovers?" She shuddered dramatically. "Lord, no! I want its pretty fur. I am thinking a rug. The fur is too coarse for a coat and–"

Emmett snorted, highly amused at their interaction.

"Isabella," Eleazar growled. "Did you really call me out here to discuss interior design? I thought something had happened."

"Eleazar," she growled back with surprising ferocity. "I did _not_ call you out here to discuss interior design. What queer ideas you have. I called you so you could help me put it in the shed. I knew Carmen would be upset if I brought it into the house." She finished with a pious look, evidently expecting Eleazar to be pleased by her thoughtfulness.

He sighed dramatically. "And why could you not put it in the shed yourself? You brought it back this far."

"Honestly, Eleazar, you used to be such a gentleman. What happened to you?"

Carmen giggled, then answered my questioning look. "He may look unhappy, but in truth he is loving every minute of it. This is the way they interact. You will have to get used to it. Nobody can confound Eleazar like she can."

Eleazar hoisted the bear over his shoulder and made his way to the outbuilding. Isabella walked at his side chattering happily about her new rug. "I need a black bear next," she said animatedly. "To compliment the red."

"To compliment the red what?" Alice wondered aloud.

"Eyes," Kate whispered. The attention of the family snapped to her. "You'll see," she said carelessly.

We had lost sight of Isabella and Eleazar as they had circled the house, and it seemed foolish to stand, staring out of the window. We settled ourselves onto the couches again and waited for them to return. I heard footsteps crossing the porch and then the door swung open.

I held my breath nervously, wondering what she would say when she saw me. She must feel the same curiosity for me that I had for her. If what Carlisle said was true, I reacted to it because of my history. I sincerely doubted this slight female shared the same experiences, so she should be more open to it that I had been.

She scanned the room, Eleazar stepped in beside her.

"Which one of you is Emmett?" she asked stonily, her face expressionless.

What on earth had Emmett done? Why would she ask for him?

"I am," Emmett said, raising a hand.

"Excellent," she said, her blank mask giving way to a dazzling smile. "I need a black bear, and Eleazar said you're the man I need."

"Sure. Want to go now?" Emmett asked happily, eager to show his prowess as a hunter.

She considered for a moment then shook her head. "No, it would be rude to dash out now. Besides, I want to get to know your coven."

"Actually we prefer the name family," Carlisle ventured.

"You must be Carlisle," she said with an amused look. "I've heard a _lot_ about you."

Eleazar groaned, hiding his face behind his hands. Carlisle shot him a confused look, evidently wondering what was causing such a reaction.

"Oh settle down, Eleazar," she scolded. "I am not going to be rude. I'm just curious. Carlisle understands that, don't you?"

Carlisle nodded mutely, growing ever more uncertain by the second.

"Wonderful," she said brightly then launched into her questions. "You're a human doctor, yes?"

Carlisle nodded again. His emotions betrayed his excitement at the possibility of sharing his theories of humanity with her. I had a feeling Isabella was not going to be the receptive audience he hoped for.

"Why?" she asked curiously. "What made you choose to save human lives? It seems to me, given your diet, you would be better suited as a veterinarian."

Edward laughed, apparently responding to Carlisle's thoughts. I could feel the chaos of his emotions. I could only imagine how his thoughts reeled as he processed her question. This was not the reaction he had been expecting at all.

"But you are an animal drinker, too," Carlisle said. "Surely, you understand the sanctity of human life."

"Heavens no, dear boy," she laughed. It was bizarre to hear Carlisle referred to as 'boy.' Eleazar seemed to accept it without thought, and it made me wonder how old she was. "I am a mere victim of circumstance. I would be feeding on the good stuff if I were able."

Kate stifled a snort, badly. "Hush, Katrina," Isabella said, without taking her gaze from Carlisle.

More shocking than her severe tone was the fact that Kate accepted it. She settled back in her chair and remained silent.

I wondered if she had used the same curious ability on Kate that she had on the human earlier. Edward shook his head almost imperceptively in response to my thought. This shocked me. If Isabella was able to render Kate, the most outspoken of us all, silent with a word, she must have immense power. Edward nodded again.

_This is the woman the fates have decreed my mate, _I thought apprehensively. _How on earth was I supposed to court her?_

"I know one of you is an empath, but what about the rest of you? Are any of you gifted?"

"Isabella…" Eleazar began warningly.

"Oh, Eleazar, do settle down. I am merely curious," she said indulgently.

"How do you know I am an empath?" I asked, curiosity momentarily eclipsing my caution.

"Well, my dear, you were projecting your emotions to the room. Are you usually so nervous?"

"I wasn't nervous!" I defended.

"No, perhaps nervous is too strong a word," she said thoughtfully. "Are you always so cautious?"

"He is," Alice answered for me.

"Always," Emmett agreed.

She gave me an appraising look then turned away, seeming to lose interest again. "So, are any more of you gifted?"

"I can see the future," Alice said. The way she said it made her sound a little like a carnival gypsy selling her wares. "It is limited to people's decided paths at the time but it is accurate."

Bella's smile was dazzling. "What fun. How far ahead do you see?"

"It is dependent on people's decisions, but some things are more certain than others. For example, I saw Carlisle and the family years before we actually found them."

Isabella fixed Alice with a concentrated gaze, which changed to an expressionless mask. It was the same look Alice had whenever she was having a vision and suspicion teased the corner of my mind.

Isabella came back to herself with a laugh. "That really _was _fun."

"What did you just do?" Edward questioned. "I couldn't hear Alice's thoughts at all."

"A mind reader!" she said, with even more animation that before.

"Isabella," Eleazar said warningly.

"Oh do hush, I am only having a little fun," she said impatiently, then fixed her gaze on Edward.

_Could she possibly be doing what I thought she was doing?_

"That depends, what do you think I'm doing?" she asked me brightly.

I was dazed by her smile. It lit up her whole face and gave her a vibrancy reminiscent of the way our skin sparkled in the sunlight. She seemed highly amused by my confusion. It took me a moment to collect myself enough to realize she had asked me a question.

"Did you take their gifts?"

"Take? No, that would be rude. I merely borrowed them a while. I assure you there are no ill effects to them."

Truthfully, I hadn't even considered the effect it may have had on Alice and Edward. I had been more concerned by what she may have heard or seen in the process. I had struggled enough with the concept of being mated. I wanted to approach the subject with caution and certainly not in a room full of my family and friends.

"How do you do it?" Carlisle asked, his curiosity almost overwhelming.

"I don't truly know." She sounded a little frustrated about her lack of knowledge. "Eleazar has not been able to get a read on me. It is limited. I am only able to _borrow_ the gifts while in close contact with the holder, and it does not always work. I am unable to use Katrina's gift for example, or Eleazar's. I posit that it is gifts that are purely mental."

_Limited, but still very powerful._ I wondered how she had remained free for so long. Any coven would be eager to have someone so gifted with them.

"Have you tried to use Jasper's ability?" Alice asked.

Once again her face transformed as she smiled, and my breath caught in my throat. I was powerless to fight it even if I wanted to. All my uncertainty about the mating was cast aside as I became lost in her eyes.

"I did try," she said unabashed. "But was unsuccessful."

"So, it is not mental," Carlisle mused. "That makes sense. His ability is grounded in the ability to feel and that is physical."

She seemed to tire of the subject quickly and gazed out of the window, a faraway look in her eyes. Carlisle was frustrated by her lack of enthusiasm but did not press the subject. Instead, he joined Esme and Carmen in their planning for a group hunting trip.

"Isabella, will you be joining us?" Carmen asked.

She didn't seem to hear at first, which was of course impossible for our kind. She continued to gaze out of the window, lost in thought. Kate reached across the chair, a glint in her eyes. I realized that she was about to 'jolt' Isabella back into awareness. A fierce growl rumbled up my throat, and I half rose to stop her.

"Katrina, if you do that, I will be most displeased," Isabella said, not taking her eyes from the window.

Kate slumped back in her chair, repentant and not a little scared.

"I think I will come," Isabella said eventually. "If the resident bear hunter will accompany me, that is."

"Sure," Emmett said happily. "We'll find you a nice black bear to make into a rug."

She turned her smile onto Emmett, and he looked a little dazed himself. I felt a surge of jealousy. She had barely noted me other than to inquire about my gift. She seemed far more comfortable with Emmett. This is not how it was supposed to work.

Edward cleared his throat unnecessarily and gave me a pointed look.

_If you don't like my thoughts, you can stay out of my mind,_ I thought severely.

He rolled his eyes and gave me another meaningful look.

_What? _

"You're projecting again, dear," Isabella said in her clear bell tone voice. "You really should try to control that."

I fought the urge to hide my face in my hands. This was positively mortifying.

The ringing of a cell phone broke into my thoughts, and we looked from one to another, wondering whose it was.

Eleazar moved to a side table and picked up a phone. "Isabella, it is yours."

"I don't have a telephone, certainly not one of the horrid pocket…" Her eyes hardened. "He sent one to you, here?" she asked sounding exasperated.

Eleazar nodded, glee dancing in his eyes. He snapped open the phone and held it out to her.

She huffed impatiently, taking the phone and spoke brusquely to the caller. "One moment."

She slipped through the glass doors leading onto the back of the property and ran out into the wide expanse of land surrounding the house. We could not hear what she was saying, but her expressions were animated, from annoyance to interest, finally settling on acceptance.

The call ended and she scowled at the phone disdainfully as if expressing her annoyance at the caller. She walked back towards the house, her expression turned to amusement and then with a devilish smile she crushed the phone to dust.

"He sent spares," Eleazar called when she was within earshot.

"Bully for him," she said. "Well it has been fun meeting you all, but I have to go."

She and Eleazar shared a meaningful look, and she nodded curtly. He was disappointed but accepting, which was far more than I was.

"Why do you have to go?" I asked, shocked at my own daring. I was horrified at the thought of her leaving so soon. How was I to approach the subject of mating if she wasn't here?

"Sorry to disappoint, empath, but duty calls. I don't doubt I will see you again, though. You really are a curious being."

Eleazar groaned but she was unapologetic in her returning smile.

"Nice meeting you all," she said, addressing the family. "Would someone care to ride pillion so I don't have to leave my bike at the airport?"

Tanya and Irina both jumped to their feet, their excitement palpable.

She looked amused by their enthusiasm. "Sorry, Tanya, maybe next time."

Tanya looked disappointed, but Irina beamed happily. Eleazar handed Isabella a small holdall and pulled her into a fierce embrace.

"You will take care." It was the closest to commanding Eleazar had managed with Isabella thus far.

"Don't I always?" she asked with a wide smile. "I will be back before you even have time to miss me."

She gave us a hasty wave and followed Irina out of the door. I moved to follow, unsure of what I would say, but the thought of her driving away made my chest constrict.

"Don't do it Jasper," Eleazar warned, placing a restraining hand on my shoulder. "She will be back, but if you pressure her, you will have to wait that much longer. Trust me, I speak from experience."

He was in earnest, and I heeded his words even though it hurt me.

I watched her disappear down the drive and knew she had taken a little piece of my heart with her.

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for reading. If you would like a teaser of the next chapter let me know in a review or a PM.<strong>

**Simaril x**


	5. Chapter 5: Someone Called Cullen

**.**

**Disclaimer: **All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Special thanks to Snarkymuch, Gredelina1, Arrr, Augustmoon. Verseseven and Mary-Alice-Brandon-Cullen for pre-reading this. **

**The was pre-read by jtmd24 and beta'd by Maxipoo1024 from Sparkly Red Pen. Thank you ladies.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Five — Someone Called Cullen<strong>

**Isabella POV**

By the time the plane touched down in Pisa, I was in a foul mood.

The flight had been horrid. A screaming infant in the back of the plane had grated on my nerves so much, I came close to silencing it myself. When the child finally fell asleep, I was pursued by an overeager steward. Him, I _did _silence.

A gentle shift of my shield and he was rendered unconscious. Unfortunately, I did not time it quite right, and he collapsed head first into my lap.

I summoned another steward, and he, with another of his fellows, carried the hapless steward through to the galley, causing quite a stir among the other passengers.

They whispered to each other, sharing theories that grew more unlikely the longer they spoke. Poison gas seemed to be the popular choice.

I had to stifle a laugh at their foolishness. _Sorry, people, no poison gas. Just a vampire that does not like to deal with overzealous suitors._

Once they deposited the prone man out of sight, one of the stewards returned to reassure the anxious humans that it was altitude sickness. The humans seemed appeased by the explanation, but also a little disappointed. There was nothing better than a little drama to liven up a long flight.

I feigned sleep for the remainder of the flight and kept myself amused by examining the memories of my encounters with the empath and his curious coven.

There was no doubt that he was intriguing, but so were many others I had met in my time, yet none of them had continued to interest me for long after we parted. There was something different about him, though, and I cursed whatever it was that had required me to return home before I had been able to properly examine him.

I passed through the airport with my usual combination of indifference and intimidation. I understood the need to keep the secret, but the quaint little human rules were tiresome and their customs laws were plain foolishness.

Though it had been late afternoon when I left Denali, the time difference and flight time combined meant I arrived late in the evening and therefore didn't have to trouble myself with avoiding the sun. Our propensity to glittering in the sun was pretty, but it made travel difficult.

I reached the departure gate and was unsurprised to smell the familiar scent of one of my kind. Felix was standing surrounded by human chauffeurs. He was conspicuous not only because of his vast form and supernatural beauty, but because unlike the humans clutching their cards depicting the name of their client, his said, "Boss Lady."

I chuckled and made my way to him, receiving his welcoming bow graciously.

"I was not expecting you'd be my driver," I said. "Where is Demetri?"

"His presence was required at the castle. Do you object to the replacement?" He attempted to look offended by my question, but I knew better than to believe him.

"Disappointed by the mode of transportation, not the driver," I said blithely. "Unless those clever humans at Ferrari have created a sports car that can hold your bulk, I assume we are to take one of the more pedestrian vehicles."

"You assume correctly."

He led me to a large black truck and opened the door for me. It was spacious and fairly luxurious, but still not as exciting a ride as I had hoped for.

When he started the engine, the speakers began to spew some loud and irritating drivel that passed for music these days. I poked at the buttons attempting to stop it, but all I managed to do was increase the volume. Tiring of the soft approach, I gave it a sharp jab, and with a shower of blue sparks, it was silenced.

Felix looked disapprovingly at the mess of crushed plastic and gave me an accusatory look. "I could have just turned it off."

"You could," I agreed. "But now you won't need to. I have silenced it and saved your ears from further abuse into the bargain."

He did not answer but pulled out of the lot and onto the main road, occasionally casting sad looks at the ruined radio. I ignored him, settling back in my seat and closing my eyes.

I passed the ninety minute drive home, imagining why I could have been summoned back so soon. I could have asked Felix, but it was much more fun to guess. It would have given him an inflated sense of importance had I shown my ignorance.

As we approached the city, I sat up and watched the passing scenery. No matter how short a time I was away, I always rejoiced at my return. The familiar winding streets and scents were comforting, and the language was so much more refined.

Felix steered us to the discrete garage set behind the castle, and I jumped out smiling as I saw another familiar face.

Demetri dropped a low bow and then swept me into an embrace.

"How was Alaska?" he asked.

"Lovely, but short-lived. Why have I been called back so soon?"

"Well, there is a situation to deal with, but in truth, I think Aro missed you. We heard them arguing over whether to call you back. I am not even sure Marcus knows you are coming; he was fiercely opposed to Aro calling you."

"In that case, I will be able to make a grand entrance, won't I?" I asked happily.

"What happened to the stereo?" Demetri asked, peering into the car.

"Isabella killed it," Felix said bitterly.

"As I have already explained, I was doing you a service. The least you could do is say thank you."

"Thank you, Isabella," Felix said sardonically.

"Don't mention it," I replied with a bright smile and made my way through the door into the connecting hall.

I went to my chamber to refresh myself and collect my robe before greeting the brothers. I also wanted a little time to gather myself. If I had indeed been called for official business, I needed to assume the appropriate persona. There was a time and a place for my theatrics, and dealing with hostile vampires was not it.

I pulled on my black robe and felt the shift as my persona adjusted, too. It was like donning a mask. In this cloak, I was powerful and calm.

I wondered what the empath would think if he saw me now. I didn't want to know. The thought of his striking face turned away in disgust or even worse, fear, was abhorrent. He need never know, only Eleazar and Carmen knew my true identity. The rest of Tanya's coven thought I was an eccentric friend of Eleazar's and accepted it without thought. I knew neither he, nor Carmen, would betray me.

Demetri was waiting for me outside the door and greeted me with a raised eyebrow.

"Eyes, Isabella."

In my distraction with the empath and his completely irrelevant opinion of me, I had forgotten. I closed my eyes, feeling the switch as they became the bright crimson of a human drinker. Demetri nodded his approval and together we strode through the halls toward the throne room.

As we passed the reception area, the human secretary called out a diffident greeting. I ignored her. Not only was she human, but she was an employee. They never lasted long, and it didn't do to grow attached.

I paused outside the ornate doors of the throne room and took a deep breath. It was time to go to work.

Demetri flung the doors open and I entered, making sure to keep my face expressionless. Though it was not easy, my natural reaction upon seeing the brothers was to smile. Instead, I nodded curtly and moved to stand beside Aro's throne.

The accused vampire stood before us with a haughty look as if he was bored by the proceedings. His constantly shifting eyes betrayed his true feelings though. He was terrified. He was unusually plain for one of our kind. The change enhanced beauty, but for him it had done little. He must have been positively repulsive as a human.

"Now that we are all gathered, we can address your crimes," Aro said, his clear voice echoing in the vast room. "You stand accused of exposing our nature to a human. Do you deny it?"

This was Aro's favorite part of meting out justice. Nothing pleased him more than when the accused would deny his offense. It didn't happen often, as Aro's gift was widely known among our kind, but occasionally, he was lucky enough to find someone that was ignorant of it. He enjoyed the moment of realization when it was revealed.

"I don't deny it, but the human is now dead, so the violation does not matter," he said arrogantly.

"That is where you are wrong," I said, speaking for the first time. "How are we to know you will not commit the same crime again? The humans are developing new technology all the time. You were lucky that this went mainly unnoticed by them. What would have happened if this had reached their media?"

"But it didn't, so it does not matter." He gave me a lecherous look that made my skin crawl.

"You pose too high of a risk to be allowed freedom," Aro said with an affected sadness. The dancing light in his eyes contradicted his tone. He was thoroughly enjoying this. "Unless you have a gift that could prove beneficial to us, you will have to be destroyed."

The vampires face slackened. Whatever he had been expecting, it was not this. "I do have a gift!" he cried desperately. "I am a gifted tracker."

Aro gestured him closer with a lazy wave, and the vampire hurried forward, his hand extended. Aro took it and his expression became concentrated for a moment as he sifted through a lifetime of memories.

"Alas, it is not to be," he said, releasing the vampire's hand. "You are indeed a gifted tracker, but not so gifted as our Demetri." He gestured to Demetri who gave him a wry smile. "I could possibly keep you, but your fondness for what you call 'the hunt' is a contradiction to our way of life."

The vampire ran for the door but was caught by Felix before he was able to reach it. Felix dragged him back, struggling futilely.

"Alec, would you oblige," Aro said calmly.

Alec fixed the vampire in his gaze. His struggles increased as the mist Alec's gift created crept towards him. In a move perfected by centuries of practice, Felix stepped away just as the mist reached them. The vampire immediately became motionless, his expression blank.

"Isabella, would you like to do the honors?" Aro offered.

"No, thank you. Let's allow Felix his pleasure."

Aro nodded and Felix stepped forward, his expression gleeful. With a screeching sound, he dismembered the accused vampire and piled the pieces.

"Take it to the feeding room," Caius instructed. "I have no desire to smell burning vampire for the rest of the day."

Demetri, Felix, and Alec gathered the pieces and carried them from the room.

As soon as the door closed behind them, I dropped my calm mask and flopped down onto the arm of Aro's throne.

"So, what did I miss?" I asked eagerly.

"Nothing of consequence," Marcus said. "I must admit, I am surprised to see you back so soon. I expected you to be away longer. Did something happen?"

Aro gave me pleading look, but I was not going to cover for him. He had interrupted my break, not to mention interfered with my enjoyment of the empath.

"Yes, something happened. I received a summons. I had barely a week away before I was dragged back..." I turned my attention to Aro"...is there a reason you called me back?"

"Of course there was, we just dealt with it. That nomad posed a risk and I…" He trailed off under my disbelieving glare. "Very well, I missed you. Things are so much more interesting when you are here."

He looked a little like a child caught in a misdeed, an impression enhanced by Marcus's heavy sigh.

"Did I interrupt anything important?" he asked, holding out a hand expectantly.

I took it and patted it fondly. "Well, I was meeting some fascinating people when you called me away. I would share the experience, but I am not feeling particularly generous now."

Marcus chortled. "That will teach you to be overeager. Who did you meet, Isabella?"

"A coven led by someone called Cullen."

"Carlisle!" Aro said animatedly. "Oh, how I have missed him. He lived here for a time. Did you not meet him, no you wouldn't have," he answered his own question. "It was while you were away. He is a wonderful man. He had hopes of becoming a physician you know."

"So I understand. If only you had not called me back unnecessarily, I could have got to know him a little better. Had I but more time, I could have gained a wealth of _memories_ for you."

Comprehension dawned and Aro looked as if he was sincerely regretting his decision to call me back. "Dear Isabella, _please, _would you show me your memories of Carlisle?" His tone was wheedling, and I giggled in amusement.

I slid from the arm of his chair and onto Marcus's lap. He wrapped his arms around me, locking me in his embrace.

"Oh, for heaven's sake. We all know how this will end. Aro you need to promise Isabella something from the vault, and she will share the memories," Caius said impatiently. "Have we not seen this charade play out a hundred times before?"

"And I suppose you are immune to her charms," Aro said mockingly. "If I remember correctly, you were the one that authorized the construction of the solarium in the grounds just yesterday."

"You did?" I asked ecstatically, freeing myself from Marcus's grip and raining kisses on Caius's cheeks.

He slapped me away good-naturedly attempting to retain his dignified manner but failing spectacularly. "I only did it to stop you badgering me. Why you want one at all is beyond me."

"I want one because they are pretty. Think how lovely it will be to enjoy the sun's warmth fully. I told you they are marvelous, and you will come to love it."

"If you say so," he said unconvinced. "Now, will you please show Aro the memories of Carlisle, so we can all have a little peace."

"Please, Isabella," Aro said pleadingly. "You can have your pick of the jewels."

"I have no desire for more jewels," I said carelessly. "What I want is time."

"Agreed," he said promptly. "As much as you desire."

"By time, I mean as long as I wish," I elaborated. "With no interruptions. No summons without real cause."

"I promise," he vowed, holding out his hand excitedly.

I took his hand and concentrated my mind, allowing the veil to drop, giving him free reign to my thoughts.

It was a curious sensation sharing my memories with Aro. My shield was torn between a desire to protect me, and the pull to utilize his gift for myself.

One such time, I had lost control and been flooded with _his_ thoughts. A lifetime of his own memories, and those he had gleaned from others, flooded my mind and almost unbalanced me, an impressive feat for a vampire. I had been far more careful after that. It was not an experience I wished to repeat.

Marcus sucked in a surprised breath, perhaps seeing new bonds forming around me. I hadn't been aware that I was that attached to any of the Cullens, but it did not overly concern me.

Aro eventually released my hand and smiled. "Thank you, my dear, that was most illuminating. I see Carlisle has flourished after all. It pleases me greatly. As much as I enjoy your company, I imagine you are eager to return to Alaska."

I was a little surprised by his haste to see me leave. It was most unlike him. However, I was eager to get back to Alaska. I had not had nearly enough time with Eleazar.

"Well, I will take my leave," I said cheerfully, turning to leave. When I reached the door, I looked back over my shoulder. "Caius, next time you are feeling indulgent, would you consider a jet? Flying on the commercial airlines is not pleasant."

I slipped out of the door, their laughter ringing in my wake.

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for reading. If you would like a teaser of the next chapter let me know in a review or a PM.<strong>

**Simaril x**


	6. Chapter Six: A Mating Bond

**.**

**Disclaimer: **All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Special thanks to Snarkymuch, Gredelina1, Arrr, Augustmoon. Verseseven and Mary-Alice-Brandon-Cullen for pre-reading this. **

**The was pre-read by jtmd24 and beta'd by Maxipoo1024 from Sparkly Red Pen. Thank you ladies.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Six <strong>—A Mating Bond<strong>**

**Marcus POV**

"What did you see?" Aro demanded when the sound of Isabella's footsteps had died away.

"A new bond. A _mating_ bond."

"Oh, how wonderful."

"Who is the other?" Caius asked. "Did her thoughts show you? Is she even aware of it? Isabella can be remarkable obtuse about these things."

I chuckled. He was quite right of course. Astute in all other matters, Isabella was emotionally unaware a good deal of the time.

"I suspect it is one of Carlisle's coven, an empath by the name of Jasper Whitlock. He was involved in the southern wars but left the life independently, so I saw no need to pursue him," Aro explained. "She is of course oblivious to the nature of the bond. At present, she is merely intrigued by him. If we can keep them together long enough, though, it will progress. We will need assistance."

"Are you sure we should interfere?" Caius said. "Her views on mating are hardly a secret. If she discovers we have allowed her to enter into this unaware, she will not be pleased."

"She can be displeased all she likes," Aro said with supreme indifference. "I have seen that girl stalk these halls alone for far too long. She needs a mate."

"Very well," I said. "We will need to contact Eleazar. He may know if this Jasper is as unaware as Isabella."

Aro strode out of the room and returned holding a small silver phone. "I sent a stock of them to Denali before she left last time," he said seeing my confused expression. He pressed a series of keys then handed the phone to me. "You best be the one to speak to him. I imagine he is still a little bitter towards me."

He had good reason to be, Aro had schemed against him to stop him from leaving the guard when he met his mate. It was Isabella's intervention that had allowed him to go free, and he was eternally grateful to her for it.

"Aro," Eleazar's calm voice answered. "Isabella has already left. She should be with you already."

"Not Aro, but Marcus," I said and his tone became far more affable.

"Hello, Marcus. Isabella left yesterday. Has she not arrived yet?" He was concerned and I hastened to reassure him.

"Yes we have seen her. She is in fact on her way back to you already. I am calling for a different reason. I understand Carlisle Cullen is staying with you."

"He is not staying with us, but he is close by if you need to speak with him. He and his coven are spending the summer here before moving to their new home."

"And Jasper Whitlock is one of his coven?" I asked.

"He is," he said, his tone becoming even brighter. "Is it true, Marcus, are they mates?"

"There is a potential bond. I take it he is aware of it then."

"Yes Jasper is aware but I suspect Isabella is not," Eleazar knew as well as we did that Isabella had controversial views on mating. She accepted it in others but had made it clear that she had no desire to share her life with another. I was sure this would change once she felt the happiness being mated could bring.

"We think it is best to keep her uninformed for the time being."

"Are you sure that is wise?" he questioned, echoing Caius' concerns.

"How else can we allow it to progress?" I asked. "Their bond deserves the chance to progress. Her prejudice would only interfere."

"Very well. I will not volunteer the information nor will I lie to her. If she asks me, I will tell her."

"I understand. Thank you, Eleazar."

There was a pause and I thought I knew what he was struggling to articulate. He eventually gathered himself. "If this works, she will be mated, Marcus."

"I am aware of that,"

"And you are happy?"

"I accepted the reality of my situation centuries ago. To her I am a father and nothing more. She deserves someone young and vital to share her life. I am not that man."

I appreciated Eleazar's concern, but it was misplaced. My affection for Isabella had long ago been relegated to that of a father and protector. Outside of my brothers, Eleazar was the only one who knew my true feelings, and that was exactly how I wanted it to remain.

"I expect I will be hearing from you again soon. Give my regards to Aro and Caius."

"I will. Thank you, Eleazar, for everything."

I handed the phone back to Aro, and he gave me an appraising look. "Have you accepted it?" he asked curiously.

"You would know better than any, brother," I said quirking an eyebrow.

"True." He said no more but continued to eye me cautiously. Perhaps looking for a sign that I was slipping into the same depression I suffered through after Didyme was killed. It was Isabella that had saved me from that void.

_I am not losing her,_ I reminded myself, _she will still be my Isabella, no matter who she takes as a mate._

Aro brushed the back of my hand with his own and nodded in agreement.

"Well," he said clapping his hands, "what are we to do now? I must admit I had relied on Isabella to provide a little entertainment, but I have been denied. I would very much like to observe this development between her and Mr. Whitlock. Though I don't think the Denali sisters would appreciate a visit."

"Probably not," said Caius dryly. "Well, I am going to retire to my room for now." He nodded a farewell and swept from the room.

Aro looked after him with an amused expression. "Retire to his room, indeed. Who does he think he is fooling?"

I laughed, certain that even now Caius was making inquiries about purchasing a jet for Isabella. He was as helpless before her charms as any of us.

xXx

**Jasper POV**

Three days.

She had only been gone three days and already I was at my wits end. It was worse because I had no idea when I would see her again. Eleazar assured me she would be back eventually but it was not enough.

I didn't know if the bond would remain intact if she was away too long. What if it was to fail because of distance? Did that mean my only chance at happiness was lost?

I groaned and began pacing the room, watched by a sympathetic Esme and an indifferent Rosalie. She was exceptionally bitter lately. When Emmett had returned from our visit with the Denalis, carrying a dead bear over his shoulder, she had been unamused. He explained it was to be made into a rug, which mollified her somewhat until he continued to say it was for Isabella.

"You should have come with us, Rosie, she was great. You'll really like her."

I sincerely doubted that. Rosalie's expression went from displeased to murderous as Emmett extolled the many virtues of my Isabella. It was curious how quickly the family had taken to her. I understood my own affection as the mating bond, but she had not been overly charming to the others and yet they all seemed enamored. I wondered if it was another facet of her gift. It didn't seem likely I was going to find out anytime soon.

"Jasper," Emmett called from the garage, in a falsetto voice.

"Yes?"

"You're projecting again, dear. You really should try to control that."

He bellowed laughter as he finished, and I could not help but do the same.

"I am going to visit the Denalis," I announced.

"She isn't there," Alice called down the stairs.

"I am aware of that. I just wanted to speak to Eleazar."

"Do some recon," Emmett suggested. "Good idea. I'll come with you."

"I am not doing recon," I protested futilely.

In truth, I was desperate to know anything about Isabella that Eleazar would share. After she had left, we quizzed him but he barely told us a thing. From what I understood, even the sisters knew little about her. She was an enigma.

"Is anyone else coming?" I called.

A moment later the whole family was gathered at the door, including Rosalie.

"What?" she asked when she saw us all staring at her. "I can visit our family can't I? Beside's, it's not like _she _is going to be there."

My annoyance at her condescending tone was eclipsed by amusement at the idea of her and Isabella actually meeting. Rosalie was a strong personality, but Isabella would chew her up and spit her out, all the while with a dazzling smile and possibly a pointed remark about our coven.

We ran to the Denali house at a leisurely pace. The remoteness of the area enabled us to let the charade slip a little. I wondered if our new home would afford us the same freedoms. The family had lived in Forks before Alice and I joined them. Other than a pack of shape-shifters in the nearby reservation, it was supposed to be ideal for our kind.

I had balked at the idea of a living so close to the threat of shape-shifters but had been voted down. When Carlisle and Esme had visited the house there to check that it was still habitable and to make preparations for us to enroll in the local school, the pack members they had known long since died and there was no sign of a new generation.

I searched the air for any hint of Isabella's familiar scent, but there was only the barest trace. I hadn't really expected her to be here, but I couldn't help hoping. We knocked and after a moment's pause, entered, calling greetings to them all.

We gathered in the lounge with the exception of Tanya who was absent. Kate explained that she had to go into the city to collect something. Carmen and Esme slipped into comfortable conversation, and I tried to gather my thoughts so I could question Eleazar about Isabella. I was a little disappointed that the family had chosen to accompany me. It would have been easier to speak to Eleazar in private when there was less chance of being teased by Emmett.

Eleazar seemed as eager to speak to me as I was to him. I caught him giving me curious looks out of the corner of my eye a couple of times; it was as if he was assessing me.

Alice's impatience was becoming overwhelming, and I felt sure that if someone didn't break the tension soon, she would crack. Edward was amused by her predicament. I could only imagine the thoughts he was hearing from her.

Eventually, it became too much for her and with a frustrated huff, she silenced the room. "If nobody else is going to ask, I will. Who is Isabella?"

Eleazar smiled warily and Carmen gave him a questioning look. He nodded before speaking. "Isabella is a _very_ old friend."

"Old in years or in you have known her a long time?" I asked. I was unable to hide my eagerness.

"Both. I have known her since my change and she is very old in years."

"How old?"

"You must understand she is exceptionally private about her life. She will not be happy to know I have told you even this much." His face twisted in regret.

"Why is she so private? What does she have to hide?" Rosalie's tone was cold. She was irritated by the family's distraction with Isabella, especially Emmett's. Though she was confident in his love - the nature of mating negated any threat Isabella could pose romantically - she didn't like sharing his affections.

"She is not hiding anything. I don't believe you have any right to question her. You did not come to meet her when she was here, so why should I answer your questions now?"

I had never heard Eleazar speak like this. The peaceful nature he usually personified was gone. It was now possible to see the powerful Volturi guard he had been. Rosalie's expression became one of embarrassed remorse, but her emotions revealed her anger. She didn't like being spoken to like this and was surely plotting some petty revenge for it.

Edward caught my eye and nodded almost imperceptibly. I hoped for her sake she did not plan to exact it against Isabella. She would come to regret it if she did.

"I am thinking of Jasper. If they are mates, I think it is only fair that he knows what he is getting into."

None of us were fooled but my accusing words were cut off by the sound of a roaring engine. My eyes snapped to the window in time to see Isabella's bike speeding toward the house. My heart leaped at the sight then dropped almost instantly. Tanya had gone into Anchorage; she must have borrowed the bike.

I sank a little deeper into my chair. I knew I was projecting my disappointment, but I couldn't find it in myself to care. I was thoroughly miserable.

"You're projecting again, dear."

I glared at Emmett but he was staring out the window, grinning widely. I looked too and saw the rider remove her helmet and shake out her waves of mahogany hair. I felt a wave of excitement at the sight of her; I hadn't thought I would see her for weeks if not months, yet here she was.

"I'm happy to see you too, but really, dear, you need to get a handle on these emotions of yours." Her smile dazzled me. I didn't even care that once again I had lost control of my gift like a complete novice. She was happy to see me.

Eleazar opened the door for her, and they shared a moment of silent communication. Edward was watching them with concentration. He didn't seem to be gleaning much from Eleazar's thoughts as he was radiating frustration.

"Did I miss anything interesting?" Isabella asked as she dropped onto the couch beside me. She was close enough that I could reach out and touch her, but I was frozen in place.

"Nothing too exciting. Where is Tanya?" Kate asked.

"She was being difficult; so I decided she needed a little time to calm down." Isabella said carelessly.

Irina laughed. "Where did you leave her?"

"The airport. I am certain she will find her way back eventually."

Emmett roared with laughter. "She's gonna be pissed."

He was right; she would not be happy. The airport was in a populated area and unless she used public transport she was in for a long, human paced, walk before she was far enough from civilization to use her enhanced speed.

Isabella seemed supremely indifferent to Tanya's plight. Rosalie was staring at her, feeling begrudgingly impressed, and Isabella was staring back. Edward snapped his gaze to her, and I suspected she was 'borrowing' his gift again. Her smile became positively devilish as she stared at Rosalie.

"My, my, that's quite the conspiracy theory you are developing there."

Edward snorted, whatever they had heard from Rosalie it was apparently entertaining them both.

"What theory? Rosalie what are you thinking?" Emmett was radiating concern. He suspected, as did I, that there was far more to Isabella's gift than we had seen, and he was scared for his mate.

"I am an evil genius with plans to enslave your coven for my own ends. I am starting with Jasper but will work my way through the males one by one. I am the secret Volturi weapon and this is the first step in a campaign to eradicate the world of peaceful covens."

"You forgot the part about your 'super succubi powers.'" Edward gave up all attempts at seriousness and laughed raucously.

"Now, don't be mean. She can't help if she's a little addled. Can you, dear?"

Rosalie looked like she was going to explode. Emmett put a cautioning hand on her arm and shook his head. She heeded his warning and sank back into the chair, throwing malevolent looks at Isabella who wasn't paying her the slightest attention. Yet again, she seemed to have disengaged from the room and the people around her and was gazing out of the window.

I wondered if we were boring her and struggled to find a conversational topic that would interest her. This was hampered somewhat by the fact I had no idea what interested her outside of motorcycles and bear skin rugs.

"Tanya is on her way." Alice announced, breaking the silence and drawing Bella's attention from the window.

"That was quick. She must have seduced one of the hapless humans to get a ride." Her expression showed her disapproval of this method. I wondered if it was the morality or disdain for humans that troubled her.

She sighed. "I don't know that I want to listen to Tanya complain about the fragile nature of humans. I am going for a run. Jasper, would you care to join me?"

I was too stunned to answer at first. It was the first time she had addressed me by name, her lightly accented voice adding emphasis on the second syllable: Jas_per_. When I regained my senses, I smiled and answered, hoping I was able to hide the desperation in my voice.

"I would love to come."

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for reading. If you would like a teaser of the next chapter let me know in a review or a PM.<strong>

**Simaril x**


	7. Chapter 7: Side By Side

**.**

**Disclaimer: **All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Special thanks to Snarkymuch, Gredelina1, Arrr, Augustmoon. Verseseven and Mary-Alice-Brandon-Cullen for pre-reading this. **

**The was pre-read by jtmd24 and beta'd by Maxipoo1024 from Sparkly Red Pen. Thank you ladies.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Seven - Side By Side<strong>

**Bella POV**

It was not merely Tanya's impending arrival that made me leave but also the need for solitude. There were so many clashing personalities in the room; it made me uncomfortable.

It had taken considerable control to stop myself from slamming the vapid blonde through a wall. She had almost goaded me into revealing my secret. I had been largely anonymous for over a millennia and with one moment of weakness, I almost destroyed it.

Something about this coven made me forget myself; I suspected it was the empath. I knew he wasn't using his gift on me, but he affected me nonetheless.

I never intended to ask him to join me; the invitation escaped me before I could suppress it. I was angry at myself for being so impulsive. Now, I had not only lost the solitude I needed, but I would have to focus on keeping my emotions from him, too.

My shield did not automatically protect me from him and his intrusive gift. Unlike the mind reader, I had to make a conscious effort to block Jasper.

We ran side by side through the park. I was glad that he did not feel the need to fill the silence with inane chatter. As we passed the mountain, I told him of my desire to jump from the top.

"I'm sure we could arrange it somehow," he mused. "I will ask Tanya, but I'm sure there must be times that it is too dangerous for the humans to attempt."

"Do you think so? It seems to me that humans have very little sense when it comes to their safety."

He fell silent again, his lips pressed into a hard line.

I wondered if I had offended him; his coven had peculiar ideas about humans after all. I felt his curiosity pique and realized he was keeping himself from asking the questions he was desperate to ask.

I hated being questioned; it often led to lies, and I didn't like to lie. I promised myself when I met the sisters, I would never lie to them. If they asked me directly, I would reveal my connection to the Volturi. I had not been present at their creator's execution, but I suspected they would find me guilty by association. They had never asked. My ability to keep them entertained outweighed their need to know more about me.

His curiosity grew until it was almost overpowering. I blocked it but knew he was still battling with himself. Eventually, I took pity on him and grabbed his arm, pulling him to a stop.

"Either ask your questions or stop projecting," I said irritably.

"I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable," he said, sounding far more distressed than was really appropriate for the situation. "You don't have to tell me anything."

"I know I don't _have _to, but I am willing to. This is a rare instance of selflessness, take advantage of it while you can."

He smiled tentatively. "Shall we sit? We will look a little odd if a human saw us standing perfectly still in the middle of the wilderness."

There was no one around for miles, but I decided to humor him anyway. We moved to an outcropping of rocks and sat facing each other.

"What do you want to know?" I asked.

"How did you control that human?" he blurted.

I was surprised that this was his first question. Of all the things he had seen me do with my gift, this was the least interesting. I decided a demonstration would be the best explanation.

"Raise your arm," I instructed.

He looked confused but dutifully raised his arm. Before he had fully extended it, I snapped my shield out and blocked the action. He struggled against it and when I released my hold on him, his arm shot in the air.

"The brain is a series of pathways," I explained. "I am able to block them. It doesn't work as well on vampires as it does on humans, as our brains function on a different level. I cannot make you do anything you don't begin, but there are some actions I can stop."

"So, the man at the auction…"

"Was using a series of actions to annoy me," I said, nodding. "All I did was block the pathways, and he was none the wiser. I have been told it is akin to the human phenomenon of 'zoning out'. Nobody gets hurt and I am able to avoid tedium."

He nodded thoughtfully. "Clever really. Can you use it defensively?"

"Not against a vampire. There are too many actions involved; I have used it successfully against a werewolf, though."

He looked shocked. "A werewolf? Where? When?"

"About ten years ago in Russia. I was traveling and picked the wrong night to go for a moonlit hunt."

I shifted uncomfortably. It was one of the very rare times I had come close to being hurt and was not a memory I relished. I shook off the maudlin and smiled brightly. "More questions or is it my turn?"

"I have hundreds of questions, but if you promise to answer them, I will answer some of yours," he said.

My impression of him thus far was of an interesting man with a tendency to lose control of his gift. The longer I spent with him, the more intriguing he became.

"Why do you fight it?" I asked, elucidating when he looked at me blankly. "The bloodlust. Eleazar told me you are a veteran of the Southern Wars. You must have kept to the human diet then. What changed?"

"I am an empath," he said simply.

I felt a wave of unexpected sympathy towards him.

"You felt it," I said, not entirely hiding the shock in my tone. "You felt their emotions when you hunted."

He nodded sadly. "It was torture. I had to feed to live, but with every hunt, I sank deeper and deeper into depression."

His eyes darkened and became unfocused as he lost himself in the memories.

I could picture the scene as clearly as if I was there: the black eyed vampire stalking the streets, his onyx eyes burning as he fought the pain of thirst, the rush of relief as he finally succumbed to temptation, the euphoric feeling as the blood rushed into his mouth. Then came the pain, regret, and self loathing as he took their feelings for his own.

I felt an impulsive urge to comfort him, to tell him I understood, but I quashed it. Yet again, I was preparing to reveal my secrets to someone I barely knew.

"You have no idea the relief I felt when I discovered I could drink animal blood," he said, breaking into my thoughts.

He was wrong. I had a very good idea, in fact.

"I don't have the same… appreciation of human life that my family shares, but I have learned to respect it."

"You respect it?" I made no attempt to hide my incredulity. "They are violent and foolish. If they aren't killing each other, they are killing themselves. They know they have a limited time on the earth, but instead of appreciating it, they hurry the process along. They drink and smoke and take drugs. They abuse their bodies day after day, yet every one of them is shocked when it catches up with them. Plain foolishness."

"That's a rather dark view." He plucked a blade of grass from the ground and twisted it into an intricate knot. He seemed unaware of what he was doing. His expression was concentrated as he tried to articulate his thoughts.

"You aren't seeing the positives. They are inventive and clever, and they love wholeheartedly. You have never felt them the way I do. I see a mother with her child, and there is nothing that compares to that love, outside of vampire mating of course."

I scoffed, and he glanced up at me. "You disagree?"

"No. I'm sure it's lovely. Your question," I said airily, not wanting to enter into a discussion about mating.

I had my opinions on it, and I had no desire to spend another day listening to someone wax lyrical about that "special connection." It was fine for others, but I had seen just how much damage that connection could wreak upon a vampire. I was _not_ going to allow that to happen to me.

"If you don't respect the humanity, why are you a vegetarian?" he asked.

"Because I am a victim of circumstance."

He waited for me to explain further, but I shook my head. "Next question, please."

He considered for a moment. "How do you change your eyes?"

"You ask the strangest questions, you know?"

"They are only strange to you, to others, these are standard ways of getting to know someone. And you are avoiding the question. How do you change your eyes?"

The more we spoke, the more relaxed he became. He still projected at random intervals, though it was a calm contentedness now. I rather liked the sensation.

"I'm not avoiding the question. I just don't know the answer." I said. I didn't like admitting the fact there was something about my own power that I didn't know. "I've always been able to do it. I just focus on the color I want, and they change."

"You mean you can change them any color you want?" He looked excited at the possibility. "Could you show me?"

I focused and knew by the sensation of pooling venom that it was working. I flashed them between colors. His own eyes widened as he watched.

"I like the brown," he said shyly.

"I think it was the color of my eyes when I was human. I quite like it too, but it makes me stand out a little too much when around others of our kind. I tend to stick with red or gold."

I left them brown for the time being; it was a simple thing, and it seemed to make him happy.

Again, I noticed my curious feelings about him. With the exception of Eleazar and my coven, I rarely cared about the happiness of others.

"Your turn," he prompted.

"I don't think I have any questions left to ask, do you?"

"Only a hundred or so, but some of them are a little… personal?" He phrased it as a question. "Eleazar said you are a private person. I don't want to overstep my bounds."

"You can ask. I may not answer, but there is no harm in asking."

He looked discomfited as he asked his next question. "How old are you?"

I frowned. "Don't you know it's rude to ask a lady her age?"

"I'm sorry… I didn't mean to offend… I was just curious…" he stammered.

"Are you always this jumpy? How you survived the wars, I'll never know," I spoke more to myself than to him. "I was changed in '91."

He cocked his head, looking confused. I had been intentionally vague. Having not yet passed his second century, I wondered how old he would assume I was. Eventually, I realized he wasn't going to hazard a guess for fear of offending me. That didn't mean I was going to make things easy for him, though.

"You're a clever man. I'll give you a hint and you can do a little research. My name was not Isabella when I was human; it was Leofflæd, and I was the daughter of an earl."

"Leofflæd," he considered it for a moment. "I prefer Isabella."

"So do I. It is much easier to pronounce and not nearly so dated."

"Is that why you changed it, to keep with the changing times?"

"Nobody chooses their own name," I scoffed. "My creator gave me a new name upon my awakening. Leofflæd died and Isabella was born."

"And you didn't mind?"

"I was not in a position to mind at first; my newborn period was especially difficult. Once I regained my wits, I was accustomed to it. Much the same way you must have adjusted when joining your coven." I glanced at him and saw his discomfort. "Adjusting to the doctor as a leader must have been difficult after your previous life."

He was silent for a long time, and I thought he was going to refuse to answer. I hoped he wouldn't. This subject intrigued me more than any other.

"He's not a leader," he said finally. "I know you don't fully understand the dynamic within our family, but he truly doesn't think of it as leading us. He created a family. While I don't share my siblings' views of him as a father, he is not my leader either. Would it be so bad if he was? Have you got a coven?"

"I do, at times, live with a coven. I enjoy a certain amount of…" I struggled to find the word to explain the convoluted power structure of the Volturi. "Influence within them."

We were heading into uncharted territory now. If I allowed him to continue his questioning, I would reveal far too much. I needed a distraction. Luckily he provided one.

"We cannot enjoy the mountain without revealing ourselves, but there must be something we can do that would entertain you."

A wide smile crept across my face. "I know just the thing."

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for reading. If you would like a teaser of the next chapter let me know in a review or a PM.<strong>

**Simaril x**


	8. Chapter 8: Getting To Know You

**.**

**Disclaimer: **All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Special thanks to Snarkymuch, Gredelina1, Arrr, Augustmoon. Verseseven and Mary-Alice-Brandon-Cullen for pre-reading this. **

**The was pre-read by jtmd24 and beta'd by Maxipoo1024 from Sparkly Red Pen. Thank you ladies.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Eight - Getting To Know You<br>**

**Jasper POV**

I was jubilant at the success of our time together. Isabella seemed like a different person when we were alone. She answered some of my questions, and unbeknownst to her, she had revealed far more than her words intended.

Whatever the circumstances that had forced her to maintain a vegetarian diet, they were not so different to my own. There had been definite understanding in her eyes as I spoke of the depression I had lived with. Her affected indifference to her new name was just that, affected. She said Leofflæd died and Isabella was born, and she meant that quite literally.

Though I lost much of my humanity when I was changed, I had gradually regained some since joining the family; she did not have the same chance, and it made her bitter. Her theories of humans were valid, but I suspected there was a deeper meaning to her words than she had shown.

When she mentioned her coven, suspicion began to gnaw at me, and the more I thought of it, the more probable it seemed. The sudden call away, Eleazar's heartfelt command to be careful, even the way she carried herself, I was fairly certain my mate was a member of the Volturi. Her gift would certainly be a coveted skill, and it was easy to imagine how our law keepers would utilize it for their cause.

This raised more questions than it answered, however, and I was unable to ask them. I was leery of questioning her again. Just because she had allowed it once, it didn't mean she would do so again. Instead, I enjoyed the sensation of her running at my side.

When we reached the house, she led me to the garage and mounted her bike. I stood beside her, looking a little foolish as she gunned the engine.

"Are you coming or not?" she asked, patting the seat behind her.

Needing no more encouragement than that, I climbed on behind her. I reached behind to hold the grab rail, but she took my arms and wrapped them around her waist instead.

"Hold on tight, empath, I am going to be testing the speed," she cautioned. Even if she had not, I would have been holding on as tight as I could while maintaining propriety. The opportunity to have any contact with her was too tempting to pass up. With a roar of the engine and a rush of speed, she pulled out onto the drive.

I had no idea where she was taking me, but I was comfortable allowing her to lead. Whatever her plan, it was sure to be entertaining. I was quickly coming to understand that anything done with Isabella was entertaining. We drove towards Anchorage but instead of taking the road into the city, she headed toward the coast. She pulled over at a lookout point, and we climbed from the bike.

"We have to go on foot from here," she said.

She looked around carefully, but we were completely alone. It was an isolated area, and I couldn't hear or sense any humans nearby. With a bright smile, she vaulted the guard rail, landing twenty feet down on a narrow ledge. I jumped down beside her and followed as she led us further along the cliff.

Soon we were in an area so desolate there was no possibility of humans seeing us. There was an outcropping of rock above us extending over the ocean; she scaled it with impressive grace, even for a vampire. When I reached her, she was tugging off her shoes and coat.

"You might want to do the same," she said, glancing down at my loafers. "Our clothes will dry, but waterlogged shoes are very unpleasant."

Obediently I slipped off my shoes and coat. "What are we going to do, Isabella?"

She smiled dazzlingly. "We are going to cliff dive. Of course it is not quite as fun as the mountain would be, but we all have to make sacrifices to keep the secret."

She stepped back a few paces then ran forward and launched herself off the cliff. I watched her, feeling irrationally anxious as she plummeted. She extended her arms in a perfect swan dive just before she hit the water, after staying down for a long time she emerged with a delighted laugh.

"Not afraid of heights are you?" she teased.

I took a longer run than she had and forcefully propelled myself off the cliff, arcing into the air. I finally lost momentum and plummeted to the water.

It was exhilarating. I had a vague human memory of diving into a quarry lake when I was younger, but this was so much better. It felt like flying. I was smiling foolishly as I swam to her side, buffeted by the rolling waves.

"Quite a rush isn't it?" she asked.

"I can't believe I never thought of doing this before," I said.

"Now do you see why I want to test out the mountain? Imagine the rush of jumping from _that _height."

"It is definitely tempting." I wondered how we could keep the humans away for a day to give us the opportunity. Perhaps Alice would be able to help.

"Race you back to the top," she said and then shot through the water.

We spent hours diving, sometimes in tandem and other times alone. As much as I enjoyed being close to her as we dove, I much preferred to watch her from the water; her smile was breathtaking as she jumped.

The longer we spent together, the more she seemed to relax. After our last dive, we sat together on the ridge, enjoying the view and silence. She had explained that we needed our clothes to dry a little before heading home. She didn't want to damage the leather of the seats. I was happy to wait. The longer we did, the more time I had with her.

She asked me about each member of the family, about the places we had lived, the things we had done, about our life among the humans. She was shocked when I told her that we went to high school but not scathing as I expected her to be.

"So you repeat high school again and again. Does it not get boring?"

"It can be boring; I prefer it when we are playing the part of college students instead. In high school, we tend to repeat the same material each time; there is a lot more variety in college. And of course, there are always new areas of study arriving each year. Rosalie likes to study technical subjects, and she learns something new each time as there are new developments."

She nodded thoughtfully. "I can see the attraction. I don't think I could stand being that close to the humans, though."

"Temptation?" I asked.

"Not that. I have my own way with dealing with that. I was thinking more about being deferential to the educators. I don't think I could stomach it."

Her choice of language made me curious, and I dared another question. "When did you last go to school?"

She considered for a moment. "I spent some years studying privately, but in my youth, there was no opportunity for education." She caught my confused expression. "It was a _very _different time."

"Why don't you try it now? College is very different. You would not need to be deferential to the professors."

She snorted. "That's an intriguing idea, but I think I'm better off as I am."

She rose to her feet, effectively ending our conversation. "I think we should be okay to ride now. Are you ready to head back?"

I didn't want our time together to end, but I wanted to get back to the house, or more specifically, to Carlisle. He was a veritable encyclopedia of knowledge, and I was hoping he would have some insight into the mystery of Leofflæd.

She didn't speak as we made our way back to the motorcycle. She seemed lost in thought. I wondered if she was considering my suggestion of college. I could go with her; it wouldn't hurt to be away from the family for a few years, not if I was with her.

I allowed myself to imagine how it would be to have extended periods of time with her alone. We could find a small place to live together, not that we really needed a home, but it would make it easier. Perhaps she would want to travel together; I had enjoyed the nomadic life when I was with Peter and Charlotte.

I was so lost in my thoughts that it was with a jolt of shock that I realized we were almost back at the Denalis' house. She pulled into the garage and cut the engine.

"I enjoyed myself today," she said lightly. "But now I need to get out of these wet clothes."

She did look a little bedraggled; her damp shirt clung to her in places that if I wasn't a gentleman, I would have enjoyed immensely.

"Do you have plans for the evening?" I blurted. I was worried if we were apart for too long the connection we seemed to have forged today would be lost.

"Nothing in particular. I was going to spend some time with Eleazar but that can wait. Did you have something in mind?"

"I was hoping we could spend a little more time together. I still have a lot of questions."

She smiled. "Of course you do."

"Is that a yes?"

"It is. I will need time to get cleaned up, but then I am at your disposal." She gave me a teasing smile. "I imagine you are going to want a little time to research my history, too. Will an hour be long enough?"

"It will be plenty of time." Or at least I hoped it would. "I will see you very soon."

She waved as she headed back to the house. I watched her leave then directed my steps home. I had an hour until I could be with her again, and I was going to make it count.

The family were all waiting for me when I got home, eager to hear about my day with Isabella. I called a hurried greeting to them as I ran to my study. Unlike the mated pairs in the family, I did not have a bedroom, though I did have an adjoining bathroom. I showered and dressed hurriedly then joined the family in the lounge again.

"Well?" Alice demanded when it became clear I wasn't going to volunteer information. "How did it go?"

"It went very well. We had a pleasant time together."

Emmett groaned. "That's all you're going to give us? 'We had a pleasant time?' I have spent all day listening to Alice and Esme taking guesses at what you were doing. If you don't give them some details, I will have to hear it all night too."

Edward chuckled. "And this has nothing to do with your own need to know?" he questioned. "You aren't dying of curiosity too?"

"I admit I'm curious," he said grudgingly.

He was more than curious, they all were; it came from them in waves.

I settled in the chair beside the fireplace and began my account of the day's activities. "We went for a run this morning and spent the afternoon cliff diving."

"Cliff diving?" Rosalie interrupted. "Why on earth would you want to do that?"

"It was surprisingly fun. There is a certain freedom to be gained from the jump. You would like it." I finished, addressing Emmett.

"Sounds fun. Maybe next time I can come along too."

_Or maybe not._

Edward caught my thought and smiled.

"How are things progressing between you both regarding the mating?" Carlisle asked.

I considered carefully before answering. "I think she is feeling it too. She was certainly more relaxed when we were alone together, and I was able to ask her some questions about herself.

"Oooh, what did you find out?" Alice asked eagerly.

"Nothing I care to share." I was thinking especially of my suspicions about her coven.

"When are you going to talk to her about the mating?" Esme asked. "If you think she is feeling it too, perhaps now is the time to tell her."

I had been considering it all day. I knew my own bond to her was exceptionally strong, and I hoped she was feeling at least a portion of the same.

"If the chance presents itself this evening, I will talk to her," I said.

I had given it a lot of thought and decided that I had to take my chances. If she was going to reject me, it was better that it happened sooner rather than later. I had never heard of a mating bond being broken by anything other than death once it was fully formed.

The combined excitement at my words was overwhelming; I had to focus on calming myself so I didn't lose control. Again.

I checked the time; I still had thirty minutes before I was due back. I wanted to question Carlisle, ideally in private, but it was unlikely I would be allowed a chance. Everyone was eager to discuss Isabella, and they would surely find out eventually anyway.

"Carlisle, have you ever heard of someone called Leofflæd?"

He was silent for a long moment. Given the way our memories worked, I was sure it meant he hadn't, as the question alone would have been all that was needed to bring the information to mind. Yet now he looked thoughtful.

"It sounds familiar, but it must be a human memory. I cannot bring it to mind. Perhaps you could search the internet. Is this regarding, Isabella?" he asked.

"Yes, she was telling me a little of her history and she mentioned the name." I wasn't sure how she would feel about me sharing this with the family, so I kept the specifics to myself.

We did not have internet access in the house, but Tanya did. If I left now I would be able to use her computer before my time with Isabella began.

I got to my feet and was surprised that the others did the same. "I am going to see Isabella now," I said.

"We know that," Alice said brightly. "And we are coming with you."

I considered arguing but knew it would only slow me down. They were determined and there was nothing I could do about it. Trailed by the rest of the family, I made my way through the park to the Denali house.

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading. If you would like a teaser of the next chapter let me know in a review or a PM.<strong>

**Simaril x**


	9. Chapter 9: Welcome To The Family

**.**

**Disclaimer: **All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Special thanks to Snarkymuch, Gredelina1, Arrr, Augustmoon. Verseseven and Mary-Alice-Brandon-Cullen for pre-reading this. **

**The was pre-read by jtmd24 and beta'd by Maxipoo1024 from Sparkly Red Pen. Thank you ladies.**

**Thanks go to AnnaLund for helping with the Italian translations for this chapter.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Nine — Welcome To The Family<strong>

**Jasper POV**

Isabella was nowhere to be seen when we arrived. I worried that she changed her mind and left already.

Carmen saw my disappointed expression and smiled. "She and Eleazar have just gone for a stroll. They won't be gone long."

The rest of the family settled into conversation, and I sat down at the computer. I was certain it would be easy to find what I needed; the internet was one invention even Isabella would have to agree made the humans worthwhile.

I pulled up a search engine and tapped in Leofflæd. Thinking it may speed up the process, I added the second clue she gave me: daughter of an Earl. I expected to have to search through pages of information before I found what I was looking for, but the first page had all I need.

I stared at the computer, my mouth gaping open. There was not a lot of information about her, but there was plenty about her father: Ealdorman Byrhtnoth, killed in battle in the year 991.

"Well, I didn't expect you to find out quite so easily. I thought I had at least presented a challenge."

I spun around and saw Isabella standing behind me. I expected her to be angry, or at least upset, but she was remarkably composed.

She moved closer and looked over my shoulder at the screen. "I'm surprised they got so much of the information correct. Did you learn anything more?"

"No, there was only a brief mention of your name."

"I suppose that is more than most get. I didn't do anything worthy of note. Not then anyway." Shrugging carelessly, she turned from the screen and drifted over to the couch.

Eleazar gave her a concerned look, but she shook her head, denying him a chance to question her further.

"There is going to be a meteor storm tonight," Alice said. "Should make interesting viewing."

Isabella nodded thoughtfully. "That does sound interesting. Jasper, would you care to watch the skies with me?"

Alice was disappointed. She had been hoping to make it a group outing, but Isabella's invitation didn't seem to be extended to them all. While understanding her plight, I was not going to pass up the opportunity to spend more time alone with Isabella.

"I would love to."

Without another word, she stood and walked out into the garden, and I followed. We didn't go far, only a few miles from the house, just out of earshot. Without the interference of light pollution here, the sky was an inky mass scattered with stars. It was really quite beautiful. She stretched out on the ground and stared up, still silent. I sat beside her, preferring to be able to see her face than the stars.

She was so still she looked like a statue. The moonlight played across her skin enhancing her beauty. I was almost convinced we were going to spend the entire time in silence when finally she spoke.

"I imagine you have more questions."

"I do, but if you prefer, I will not ask them." Though, I was longing to know more.

"Better to get it out of the way now. Ask away," she instructed.

"Your father, he was–"

"A fool," she said harshly. "He wanted to play at being a soldier when he should have left it to more experienced men. He allowed his ridiculous notions of honor to override the counsel of his advisors and it got him killed." The bitterness in her tone was unmistakable.

"You were close to your father?" I asked.

"Not remotely. I left his household long before his death. I was just the one that had to pay for his folly."

She straightened and looked at me curiously. "How much do you know about my time?"

"Very little," I admitted, though I planned to correct that oversight as soon as I had the opportunity.

"Well, this should be an educational experience for you. What would you like to know?"

"You said you had already left his household." She nodded. "Where were you?"

"I was in my nineteenth year when my father died. I hadn't seen him for years before that, not since the day he handed me over to my husband."

"Husband! You were married?"

"Yes, I was married."

I stared at her, unable to form words.

She laughed. "I told you it was a different time. My husband was a man of influence and our marriage united the two houses. I had no affection for him, nor him me. But that is not what you were asking; I believe you wanted to know about my father."

No, I wanted to know about her marriage, but her deflection of the subject made it hard for me to question her further without risking her silence again.

"As I said, he wanted to play at being a soldier. He wasn't the only one. All of the men were eager to prove themselves and naturally they needed an audience. We women were brought to watch them fight. When they were killed there was nothing to stop the invaders. I believe they call it the spoils of war."

In my time the spoils of war were land and property, not people. I couldn't imagine how it must have been for her.

"I was a prize. I was to be taken home with the invaders but fate intervened. I'm sure you can imagine what happened next. Battles are a temptation for our kind, so much blood. I was found and proved to be a curiosity. My creator took me home with him and I was changed. A millennia later, here I am."

I was amazed by all she had told me, the trust it showed. I never expected her to be so open. It was as if she was a different person to the one I had met a week ago. This _had _to be the mating bond; there was no way she couldn't feel it too. I felt it growing stronger in me by the minute. I was drawn to her.

I chanced another question. "Who was your creator?"

She gave me an appraising look. "I think you already know the answer to that."

"I would like you to tell me though."

She sighed, rubbing her hands over her face in an uncharacteristic human fashion. "I don't understand this. I have never revealed so much. You must understand that there is a reason I value privacy. If it was common knowledge, I would lose the freedoms I have now. I enjoy the anonymity.

"You don't have to tell me," I said, my conflict clear in my voice. I wanted her to tell me but her comfort was more important.

"I don't like to lie. I always vowed if someone asked, I would tell them the truth. Few have ever asked and none of them after such a short acquaintance." She seemed to steel herself. "If you want to know, you have to ask."

The words came from me almost against my will. "Isabella, are you part of the Volturi?"

She didn't speak but nodded solemnly.

"Who did it? Who changed you?"

"Aro." Her voice was practically a whisper.

My arm stretched out to touch her. There was only a foot of space between us, and yet it felt like a mile. She closed the distance, her fingertips brushing the back of my hand.

Her gold eyes locked on mine, and I was lost. I had no power to resist her; my entire being was reaching out to her, though I didn't move an inch. She seemed to be experiencing the same sensation as she gasped. Her emotions, for once not shielded, showed her confusion. Her eyes widened, and she snatched her hand away from me.

"What was that?" she asked harshly.

I open my mouth to explain, but no words came to me; I was still reeling from the power of the moment.

She jumped to her feet and ran toward the house.

"Isabella, wait!" I called after her. Her pace increased, and I leaped to my feet and chased her. She was in the house before I caught up.

"Did it happen?" Alice asked excitedly. I nodded.

"Did what happen?" Isabella demanded. "What _was_ that?"

"That was mating," Alice said happily. It was the wrong thing to say. Isabella's gaze shot to her, and Alice quailed under the ferocity of her stare.

"Mating?"

"Yes, I must admit, I am surprised at how fast it happened," Carlisle said. He seemed oblivious of her building rage and continued happily, "Welcome to the family."

Isabella stared at him disbelievingly then turned to Eleazar. "Did you know about this?" her voice was a menacing growl.

"I suspected it. I wasn't certain and–"

"And you allowed me to come back here!" Her voice had risen to a screech.

"Isabella, will you please calm down and allow me to explain," he pleaded.

"No, you will be silent. I have no desire to hear anything else you have to say." She turned to me and her gaze softened a little. "I am sorry this has happened to you, but I am not your mate."

"Isabella," Eleazar pleaded.

She turned to him and fired off a volley of words in Italian. "Voi mi avete tradita. Dopo tutto quello che ho fatto io per Voi, questo è il modo in cui vengo ripagata."

I didn't know what she said - having never studied Italian - but whatever it was, Eleazar was stunned into silence, his emotions revealing his shock. Carmen took his hand attempting to comfort him; it was futile. Whatever Isabella had said, had hurt him far more than physical injury could. She shot him one last furious glare then stalked from the house, leaving me frozen.

"Go after her you idiot!" Emmett shouted, breaking me from my stunned paralysis.

I ran out after her in time to see her swing one leg over the seat of her motorbike and gun the engine. I jumped in her path and gripped the handlebars.

"Let me go," she snarled.

"No, you owe me an explanation." I had no idea where this sudden courage had come from, but I was not about to let her disappear from my life without a fight.

"I owe you nothing. I'm sorry you have been misinformed, but I am _not_ your mate."

"I don't believe you." The more enraged she seemed to become the calmer I felt. It was as if my gift was adjusting naturally to complement her.

She slapped at my hands, trying to force me to release my grip so she could drive away. I felt a pulse of electricity pass between us each time our skin touched. She pulled her hands against her chest, refusing me contact.

"You feel that too," I said. It wasn't a question but a statement. "Surely you know what it means."

"It means nothing," she hissed.

"You know that's not true. You can't ignore it, and you can't deny it."

Her expression changed. She looked almost scared.

"I can't do this now. I have to leave." She wasn't speaking to me. She was telling herself. "Go back to your family. They will take care of you. You know who I am, _what_ I am. If you come after me, you _will_ regret it."

I saw the moment she detached herself from the situation. The light in her eyes snuffed out and she smiled blandly. "It was nice to meet you, Jasper, but I think it is better for us both if we don't meet again."

I lurched back; her words were like a physical blow. She gunned the engine and shot down the drive, leaving me staring after her.

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading. If you would like a teaser of the next chapter let me know in a review or a PM.<strong>

**Simaril x**


	10. Chapter 10: Time and Patience

**.**

**Disclaimer: **All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Special thanks to Snarkymuch, Gredelina1, Arrr, Augustmoon. Verseseven and Mary-Alice-Brandon-Cullen for pre-reading this. **

**The was pre-read by jtmd24 and beta'd by Maxipoo1024 from Sparkly Red Pen. Thank you ladies.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Ten — Time and Patience<strong>

**Jasper POV**

I don't know how long I stood staring at the spot she disappeared from. After a while, the haze of shock subsided and anger replaced it.

I could hear the others talking inside. Carmen was trying to comfort Eleazar, and Tanya was demanding to know what Isabella said to him. I wanted to know that too.

I stalked back into the house, making no attempt to hide my anger.

"I am sorry, Jasper," Eleazar said. "I didn't expect her reaction to be so extreme."

"But you knew it wasn't going to be positive?" My voice was a low growl. "Did you not think I should have been warned? I could have allowed her more time, explained it to her sooner. I could have given her a choice dammit!"

"This wasn't my decision to make. I told them I would be honest if she asked, but she didn't."

"Told who?" Kate asked.

I already knew. Of course he would had gone along with it. Once a guard, always a guard. Even though he had left them long ago, they were still his masters.

"What did she say to you?" I asked, overriding Kate's question.

"You betrayed me. After all I have done for you, this is how you repay me," Edward said.

"Who betrayed you?" Alice asked, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"Not me. That is what she said to Eleazar." Edward explained, smoothing her hair affectionately.

I wondered what she had done for him, but I had a more pressing question to ask. "Is that where she has gone? Has she gone back to them?"

"I think so," Eleazar said sadly. "She will suspect their involvement, and she will be angry. I think she will go to them first, after that, I do not know.

"Volterra." Edward gasped. He must have heard it in our thoughts. I was making no attempt to keep him out of my mind, and I doubted Eleazar was either.

Esme clapped a hand to her mouth, horrified. Carlisle merely nodded. Apparently, he suspected it already. Though clearly he had not met Isabella before, he had spent time with the Volturi in the past.

"She is part of the Volturi?" Irina asked, her shock battling her anger for dominance. "Why didn't you tell us?"

Eleazar paced back and forth, his hands clenching into fists. "I didn't tell you because she asked me not to. She knows your history, and I imagine she feared this reaction. She always vowed she would tell you the truth if you asked, but none of you did."

Kate folded her arms over her chest. "You should have told us."

"Perhaps I should have, but you must understand the debt I owe to Isabella. Had it not been for her, I would still be in Volterra now."

Carmen caught his arm to stop his pacing and cupped his face in her hand. "I think it's time they all know. There are too many secrets; Jasper at least deserves to know these things."

He nodded sadly. "She will never forgive me for this, but if I am to lose her I should like to think I have thoroughly deserved it."

He sank into a chair and Carmen perched on the arm, placing her hand on his shoulder.

"I met Isabella shortly after my induction into the guard. She is, as you have all noticed, a unique character, but she was different then, darker. I don't think we exchanged more than a dozen words in my first decade there. The only people with whom she had any relationship were Aro, Marcus, and Caius. Most of all Marcus. It was not until she returned that we developed any sort of relationship."

"Returned?" Tanya questioned. "Where did she go?"

"She left Volterra for a time..." he looked to Carlisle "...that is why you never met her, my friend. She did not return for almost a decade after you left for America."

He looked at me cautiously, gauging my mood before continuing.

"When she came to Volterra, Marcus was still grieving his mate, Didyme. Isabella had a particularly difficult time as a newborn. I cannot explain further; it is her story to tell, but suffice to say she suffered. Marcus was the one to help her through that time. It was her need for him that pulled him from his depression. They developed a very close bond."

"I don't understand," Carlisle said. "When I was in Volterra Marcus was exceptionally morose. I understood it was because of Didyme."

"In part it was," Eleazar said. "Isabella had left, and it was her that had brought him from the depression the first time. But I believe it was her absence alone that did it. It was rumored that they had a fight before she left."

He broke off and looked thoughtful. He seemed to be deciding how much to divulge to us. His emotions switched from anxiety to determined resolve.

"When she returned she was different. She tasted the freedoms our lives could offer, and she found pleasure in life again. She discovered that she could survive on animal blood while she was gone, and that changed her. She began to feel the benefits of the diet we have all known: the ability to form closer bonds and the compassion it instills.

"I told you I owed Isabella a great debt, and I do. Shortly after her return to the city, I met Carmen. For a time she lived within the confines of the city, and I continued my role within the guard. Carmen was unhappy, though, and eventually I decided it was time for us to start a new life together. I knew Aro would not be happy to see me leave, my gift was very useful to him, but I never expected him to refuse me.

"I sought a private audience with him and explained my need to leave. He did not become angry but refused me at once. There was no question, he said, of my leaving. I left his presence, disappointed, but understanding. It seemed to me that it was a bad idea to leave after all. I had a duty to Aro. He brought me into the guard and gave me a life of power and respect; I would be a fool to leave all it behind. These feelings were not my own. You see while I had been talking with him, he had been planning."

Carmen took up the explanation for him.

"Felix and Demetri came for me," she said. "They told me that Eleazar had sent them. When I arrived, I did indeed see Eleazar first. He told me he spoke with Aro and realized the error he had made. We were brought before the rest of the guard, and I too saw how right he was. Aro was a great man, and I owed him for the life he had given Eleazar."

"Hold up," Emmett said. "What did this Aro guy do? It sounds like you were brainwashed."

Eleazar smiled ruefully. "Not brainwashed, but no less influenced.

Carlisle frowned. "Chelsea?"

"Indeed. While I had been speaking with Aro, Chelsea had been manipulating my bonds. She could not break my bond to Carmen, but she strengthened mine to Aro, and when Carmen arrived, he used Chelsea to influence her, too. We were both to be made slaves to her emotional influence."

"To us it seemed perfectly right," Carmen said. "It was a good life, and we were blessed to be offered a part of it. It wasn't until Isabella arrived that we realized anything was wrong."

"I have never seen her so enraged," Eleazar said. "She ordered everyone from the room but us, Aro, Marcus, and Caius. She screamed at him, told him he was playing god with people's lives. She threatened…well suffice to say it was a powerful threat. She called Chelsea back and ordered her to remove her influence. When we were back to our right minds, she apologized for what had happened and assured us we were free to leave and would not meet with Aro's manipulations again. She escorted us to the city limits and bade us farewell.

"I didn't see Isabella again for over a century, though I often thought of her. I was immensely grateful to her for what she had done. In the early 1900s, we received a surprise in the form of a letter from Isabella. She had used Demetri to find us. Her letter said that she was spending some time traveling and wished to visit with us."

He looked to Tanya. "She, of course, knew who you and your sisters were and sought my counsel before arriving. I advised her that you knew nothing of her existence and were unlikely to ask, so she was welcome to come here. I apologize for the underhandedness of it, but I was eager to see her again, and I couldn't refuse her after what she had done for me."

Tanya nodded. She was no longer upset at what he had done, but there was an undercurrent of sadness and sympathy directed towards me.

"You would remember her first visit as well as I do," Eleazar said, breaking into my thoughts.

Irina snorted. "She arrived on that old Triumph and asked why we had furniture. Yes, I remember perfectly."

Eleazar smiled fondly. "Yes, well when we were given a chance to speak alone, I expressed my gratitude and asked if there was ever something I could to do thank her for what she had done." He imitated Isabella's voice perfectly. "Your bizarre choice in living arrangements aside, I like it here. I should like to come back and visit."

I laughed. I could clearly imagine her saying it, the way she would consider each word carefully before speaking.

"And so Isabella came to be our friend," Tanya said. "I often wondered about her, you know. I couldn't understand how someone so...interesting could be without a coven. Now we know the truth."

"Does it upset you that she is Volturi?" Carmen asked. "Does it make her any different to the Isabella you have know all this time?"

It was Kate that answered. "No. She is still Isabella, just a little more intimidating."

"Intimidating," Carlisle said in a musing tone. "Something in your story has me curious, and I wonder if I could ask a question."

"Feel free," Eleazar said.

He already knew what was going to be asked. There was no hint of surprise in his thoughts as Carlisle spoke.

"She shouted at Aro, she ordered Chelsea to remove the artificial bonds. She is not an ordinary guard is she?"

Eleazar smiled knowingly. "No, my friend, she really isn't. Isabella is not a member of the guard, but a member of the coven. If forced to define it, I would say she is a ruler too, though she would disagree. To all others she remains deferential to the ancients, but to them she is an equal. She refuses the title though."

There was a stunned silence following his announcement as we all digested his words.

If I had thought it was a challenge to pursue her when I thought she was a guard, it was going to be impossible now.

"Not necessarily," Edward said, evidently following my train of thought.

"What do I do?" I asked the room at large. If ever I had need guidance it was now.

"What happened before she left?" Carmen asked. "Obviously she learned of the mating, but how did it happen?"

I thought back to the feeling I had when our hands had touched. It had felt like my entire being was reaching out to her, that we became one.

"Our hands met," I said carefully. "And something happened. I can't explain it very well, but it was like we were joined."

"That is mating," Alice said with satisfaction.

Each of the mated couples in the room nodded. Their emotions were full of love and happiness as they each remembered the moment it had happened for them.

"How do you feel about her now?" Esme asked, her smile too wide to conceal.

"I love her," I said simply. "It feels like half of me is missing. It is taking all my will to stop myself from running after her. My need for her is stronger that any thirst I have ever felt. It is not a desire―it is a demand."

"She will be feeling something similar," Eleazar said. He was torn between happiness that she would feel the pleasure of mating, but sadness that even now she would be suffering.

"I don't want her to be hurting," I said sadly.

"That is an understandable part of your bond," Eleazar said, "but unfortunately unavoidable. I know Isabella. If you go after her now, she will run. There is no match for her stubbornness. If you can allow her time to accept this, she will eventually come to you."

Esme's concern for me was overwhelming and touching. "How long will he have to wait? If she was gone from Volterra for decades because of an argument, will she be gone longer because of this?"

"I don't believe so," Eleazar said. "She will not want to suffer, and like Jasper, she will not want him to suffer. Just give her a little time."

Time. As a vampire I had infinite reserves of time, but I was not so blessed with patience.

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for reading. If you would like a teaser of the next chapter let me know in a review or a PM.<strong>

**Simaril x**


	11. Chapter 11: Fate

**.**

**Disclaimer: **All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Special thanks to Gredelina1, Augustmoon and Mary-Alice-Brandon-Cullen for pre-reading this. **

**This was pre-read by jtmd24 and beta'd by Maxipoo1024 from Sparkly Red Pen. Thank you ladies.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Eleven — Fate<strong>

**Bella POV**

My footfalls were like the thunder of cannon fire resounding along the stone tunnels. I made no effort to quiet them; I wanted everyone to know I was coming.

When I reached the plush reception room, I found Demetri perched on the edge of the polished desk talking animatedly with the human assistant.

She made a high pitched yelping sound as she saw me and then hurried to cover her mistake. "Welcome—"

With a flick of my shield I rendered her mute. It took almost no thought to use my shield like this. I had centuries of practice. I merely visualized the path and stretched my shield over it, and the object of my focus was at my mercy.

Demetri turned to greet me. His ready smiled faded when he saw my furious expression. He hurried to my side and reached out to catch my hand. I blocked the action, ignoring the look of hurt in his eyes. I allowed Demetri a lot of liberties with me—I was very fond of him—but in that moment he was just another guard.

I heard the voices in the throne room falter as I marched along the plush carpeted hall. Someone came to open the doors ahead of my approach but I crashed through, not caring when the massive wooden doors broke against the wall.

The figures milling around the room froze. I barely registered their presence; my attention was fixed on the three men seated in their ornate thrones. I felt a surge of satisfaction when their smiles faded at the sight of me.

"Out!" I commanded, raising my voice to a shout when the guard remained. "I said get out!"

The exodus from the room was over in seconds. I saw Aro's eyes follow them. Perhaps he was considering following them out. Pride kept him in place.

"How could you do this to me?" I demanded. I was looking at Aro but talking to all of them.

"We did not do anything to you," Aro said stiffly. "This is your nature, Isabella. You could not really hope to stay alone forever."

"It was my choice!" I screeched.

Marcus hurried to my side, holding out a placating hand. "Isabella, please calm yourself."

I shook him off and locked eyes with Aro.

"I could kill you."

He paled visibly. I was not just talking about the level of my anger; it was a genuine threat.

"Isabella," Marcus said in a scolding tone.

"Don't push me," I hissed. "You are not my father, _remember_?"

He stepped away from me, his hands raised in surrender. It was cruel of me to speak of these things, to use his own words against him, but the rage boiling inside of me was barely contained. It would take only one wrong move from any of them for me to lose control completely.

"Is it complete?" I asked. "Can I save him?"

Marcus shook his head sadly. "It would not be saving him Isabella; it would be dooming him to a life alone."

"Is it complete?" I hissed.

"Yes. The mating is bonded now. You must know this."

My knees gave way and I knelt on the floor gripping my head in my hands. "Why would you do this to me?" I asked plaintively. "To him. You know what this means."

"It does not mean what you think," Caius said, speaking for the first time. "Marcus has suffered, that is true, but Aro and I, and hundreds of others have found their happiness in being mated."

"And if something happens to me? What then?"

"Nothing is going to happen to you," Marcus soothed, laying a tentative hand on my shoulder and taking comfort when I didn't push him away. "You have nothing to fear Isabella, we are at peace. If you wish, you need never go out on an active mission again."

My head span with confusion. I couldn't imagine an inactive life. I enjoyed my travels and time away from the coven, but my life was the fight. I protected our kind; it was what I was made for.

"You cannot deny this, Isabella," Aro said.

I hissed at him. He was the very last person I wanted to talk to now. I was sure it was his manipulations that had doomed me to this. If I had been warned…

"He is right," Marcus said. "You must already be feeling the pull to him. There is no breaking it now that it has formed. You love him. Even if you refuse to admit it to yourself, you do. Allow yourself this happiness."

"No." I said it coldly, angrily. "I can stop this. It may not have happened before, but I will find a way." I got to my feet and fixed my gaze on Aro. "I will never forgive you for this." I turned to Marcus. "Nor you."

I marched from the room and back to the main reception. Demetri was there trying to comfort the human.

"Find me someone now." I ordered.

"Who?"

"Don't play stupid, Demetri. You and I both know there is someone out there Aro wishes to have dealt with. There always is. Now, tell me who and where."

I could see his thoughts clearly in his eyes. He was weighing the cost of defying me with what Aro would do to him. I won.

"The nomad that was destroyed had a mate. She has a gift for evasion. She is somewhere in North America, but I cannot tell you more than that. Her gift is interfering."

I tapped into his gift and found the pull to the female. It would be difficult to find her, but a challenge was exactly what I needed.

"Do you want me to come?" he asked.

"No thank you."

"Isabella, what happened?"

I paused mid step and looked back at him. "My family betrayed me."

I went to my room and changed into clothes that would sustain the journey. I took my black cloak from the closet. If I was going to hunt this female, I would do it as a Volturi elite, not as Isabella.

xXx

The woman was cunning and her trail was hard to follow. She seemed to be constantly one step ahead of me.

I had chosen her as a distraction initially, but her ability to confound me had elevated her to the status of enemy in my mind. I was going to take great pleasure in ending her existence.

I followed her through the states of America, her scent always too old for me to trace to the source. She was not always alone. Sometimes, there was a second scent, joining hers and then disappearing again.

Throughout my search, there was one subject my mind returned to no matter how hard I tried to ignore it: Jasper.

I tried to demote him to the title of empath again, but it was in vain. The image of him as I rode away was etched into my indelible memory, and there was nothing I could do about it. My thoughts returned to him again and again. It was maddening. Worst of all were the times I found myself reflecting on how he was faring with this mating debacle. He had seemed pleased to tell me about it. What was he feeling now?

Unable to banish these thoughts, I threw myself into the hunt instead. It was through a stroke of luck that I eventually found her. I had purchased another motorcycle as I hadn't wanted to go back to Alaska to collect my own from the airport. While refueling at a gas station, I heard two humans discussing a spate of disappearances in Washington. Something about it didn't ring true, so I went to investigate.

I was forced to shed my cloak when around the humans, which I didn't much like. Luckily, the female had chosen Seattle, where the weather was dismal enough for me to move around freely, to base her efforts.

The city was ripe with the scent of vampires. I wondered why Caius had not picked up on the situation already. This was why we existed after all.

I caught a relatively fresh scent at the docks and waited for the vampire to show itself. Only twenty minutes later it arrived with a dead human slung over its shoulder. It was clearly young, its eyes were a startling red.

It was a contentious hunter. It searched the area for humans and then jumped into the water, dragging the human down with it. A few minutes later it emerged from the water and began swimming back toward land.

It was clever to bury the kill in the water, but it clearly didn't think about the absurdity of walking around the city dripping wet. If this was indeed a creation of the female, it was an ill-trained one. I could school it though. Perhaps even send it back home to assist us. Even if it was not gifted, Aro may find a use for it. We could use a vampire for a receptionist for a change. The turnover for humans was really quite exorbitant.

These sympathetic thoughts brought me up short. I had never cared before, its involvement in the females rule breaking would ordinarily have earned its death automatically. Now I was planning to send it home and give it a job. What on earth was wrong with me?

It made its way to an industrial area, the scent of other vampires was thick in the air. This must be where the female had set up her lair. It wasn't a bad choice, all things considered. I would even commend her on her planning―right before I removed her head.

I heard a great deal of snarling and the unmistakable sound of vampire flesh being torn apart as I got closer to the largest warehouse.

_One less for me to kill. _I thought to myself.

Admittedly, I didn't know exactly how I was going to do this. I had become lazy since Alec and Jane joined our guard. Jane would torture the accused until they were begging us to destroy them, and Alec would steal their senses making their destruction positively easy.

Still, I was Isabella. There were still a few vampires living that knew enough to fear the name, like those irritating Romanians for example.

I sent my shield out from me, searching for a gift I could use. The female was there, her ability to evade danger was no real use. There was another, but I couldn't get a handle on his ability. It was an unpleasant sensation to reach for him.

I would have to do this the old fashioned way.

Screaming at the top of my lungs, I smashed through the old steel doors and into their midst.

There were ten newborns and the female. I felt a momentary pang of doubt as they all dropped into crouches then the battle lust took over, and I laughed. This was going to be fun.

The female I followed back lunged for me, and I twisted away, gripping her wrist and tearing it from its socket. She screamed in pain, but I was already moving on to my next opponent: a stocky male.

I ripped and tore and slashed and laughed. _This_ was who I was.

My laughter came to an abrupt end as I felt a hand grip my wrist and then a burning pain in my shoulder.

The female had torn my arm off!

She tossed it onto the ground amongst the pile of limbs I had created of her newborns. Even as I watched, another dismembered hand gripped my wrist. I reached for my arm, but the female kicked it away.

Now I was angry.

I launched myself at her, a blur of snapping teeth and clawing nails. I was able to knock her to the floor, but my centre of balance was off because of my missing arm. I struggled to right myself above her, but failed, falling to the side.

Providence was on my side, as my hand gripped her hair and my head landed close to her. With a yank of hair and a swipe of teeth, I removed her head.

Her struggles immediately stilled, and she was left as still and useless and a broken doll.

I pushed myself to my feet and retrieved my arm from the floor. With a hiss of pain I held it to my shoulder and waited for the venom to do its work. When the burning pain ceased, I flexed my arm tentatively. It was, of course, perfectly healed, but I was still cautious. I had never been hurt like this before, and it was a disconcerting experience.

I checked my other injuries, a bite to the collarbone and back of the neck. Someone had come dangerously close to ending me completely.

I did a quick headcount and found the eleven I had first seen. Satisfied I had destroyed them all, I kicked them into a pile and reached into my pocket for my lighter.

It wasn't there. I never went on any mission without means to dispose of my prey, but something had gone wrong; my pockets were bare.

I stared at the twitching mound of parts and tapped my foot impatiently. How was I going to do this? I couldn't leave then while I went in search of matches; if a human came across this… Well, I didn't want to be forced to kill one because they had seen too much.

I scanned the room, looking for something I could use, and my eyes fell on the cable trailing across the ceiling. The female had evidently liked comfort as she had kept the electricity flowing into the room. This I could use.

I moved to the door. When this went up it was going to be fast, and I had no desire to finish my day with self-immolation. Jumping up, I gripped one of the cables. A shower of blue sparks shot from the ragged break. One of them landed on the pile of venom soaked pieces, and with a sound like a sheet being snapped, the flames burst into the air.

I ducked out of the door and mounted my bike again.

I was done here.

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for reading. If you would like a teaser of the next chapter let me know in a review or a PM.<strong>

**Simaril x**


	12. Chapter 12: She's Back

**.**

**Disclaimer: **All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Special thanks to Gredelina1, Augustmoon and Mary-Alice-Brandon-Cullen for pre-reading this. **

**This was pre-read by jtmd24 and beta'd by Maxipoo1024 from Sparkly Red Pen. Thank you ladies.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Twelve — She's Back <strong>

**Jasper POV**

It had been three months since I watched her ride away, and every one of them wore heavily on me.

My thoughts were consumed with Isabella: how she was, what she was doing, whether she was feeling the same desperate ache I was―without her.

We moved to Forks and started our 'new' lives as high school students. Admittedly, the weather there was some of the best suited for our needs that we had ever found, but there was a price in the form of the people. Whether because of the scarcity of new faces, or they were somehow more susceptible to our predator charms, they descended upon us like rabid dogs.

The school day was torture. Not only did I have to deal with the scent of human blood tempting me, I had to deal with overly friendly teens lusting after me and my family.

Esme and Carlisle were the only ones that seemed happy with the new town. Carlisle liked the small hospital; his skills were making a real difference here. Esme was pleased to find that contrary to many small towns we had lived in, the locals were accepting of her. She was invited to have coffee within our first month.

The one fly in the ointment was Seattle. There was a spate of deaths and missing persons that pointed to a rogue vampire in the area. I was hopeful that the threat would draw the Volturi, and thus Isabella, but before that could happen, the death toll reached a level Carlisle was unable to abide.

We spent a week preparing ourselves. We hunted for strength and practiced our combat skills before we headed into the city.

Most of the disappearances seemed centered on the Pioneer Square area in the west of the city, so we went there first. The scent of vampires, both new and old, was thick in the air. There had to be at least ten of them claiming the area.

We had not expected this and were forced to gather and plan again. If it was a new coven that claimed the area we could be heading into a fight with the odds stacked against us.

Carlisle thought they may not know the rules. He suggested we approach them on friendly terms, explain the need for secrecy, and tell them ways of hunting without exposure. I was less optimistic. Ten vampires against our seven, most of whom had never fought a hostile vampire didn't seem like a good idea to me. I was overruled though, and in hindsight it was a good thing I was.

We followed the scent to the docks, where I found a new and most welcome scent: Isabella. Losing all caution, I raced toward the source, my thoughts focused only on getting to her side.

Her trail led me to an industrial area. A wave of horror swept over me as I recognized the smell of burning vampire in the air. I pushed myself even harder, noting the presence of others of our kind but not caring. My family called after me, but I ignored them.

There was a group of black cloaked vampires standing outside the warehouse where the scent was thickest. I scanned them for the familiar form of Isabella, but she was not there.

"Isabella!" Her name was torn from me without thought.

One of the cloaked figures turned to me and shed his hood. He had inky black hair and a slight olive cast to his pale skin.

"You must be the empath," he said.

"Where is Isabella?" I demanded.

"Long gone," he said carelessly.

My knees buckled and I sank to the floor, gripping my head in my hands.

"Not dead, you fool," he said scathingly. "Long gone, as in she drove away after taking out a pack of newborns. Jeez, you're a dramatic one, aren't you? No wonder you caught her."

I looked up at him, desperation clear in my eyes. "You mean she's not dead?"

He snorted. "Of course she's not. Don't you know her at all?"

I was beginning to wonder that myself.

"She's fine. Even left me a note. See?" He gestured to the steel door of the warehouse where a message had been etched into the metal.

_**Better luck next time Demetri. 10-1**_

_**Isabella. **_

"She must have felt me coming," he said. "I wish she'd stuck around. Aro is going to be angry that I missed her."

"What does the ten one stand for?" I asked.

"Ten vampires to one leader," he said. "When we are working a mission we use the numbers to show how many we killed, so we know if there were any that evaded us. Hello, Carlisle."

The rest of the family had caught up to us now. Alice yanked me to my feet and hugged me.

"Are you okay, Jasper?" Esme asked.

"He's fine." Edward answered for me. "He jumped the gun a little and had a little breakdown. Isabella is fine too. She took out the vampires and all is well in the world again."

Esme shot him a scolding look, and he adopted a rueful expression. I was certain she was using her thoughts to give him a piece of her mind.

Carlisle greeted Demetri and another guard he knew, and now asked for news of the Volturi.

"Things are a little… tense should I say?" Demetri answered. "Isabella has been gone a while, so the ancients are on edge." He turned to look at me. "You've certainly provided us with enough conversation topics to last a few decades."

"You know what has happened then?" I asked.

"That you hit the jackpot in the mating department? Yeah I know. We all do. Aro was looking for a little support after their blowout and spoke to a few of us."

Alice frowned. "Blowout?"

He snorted. "You should have heard it. She was beyond mad; she actually threatened Aro. It was an eye-opener. None of us had seen her like that before."

He was still talking, but his words were white noise to me. She was so horrified by our mating that she had threatened Aro. This did not bode well for me.

"So what were you doing here, anyway?" Demetri asked. "Did you know the rule breaker?"

"No. We deduced what was happening here and came to see if we could deal with the threat ourselves," Carlisle said. "We were concerned by the amount of human lives being lost."

He nodded understandingly. "Unfortunately, for us all, Isabella reached the place first." He clapped his hands together. "Well, it was nice to see you again, Carlisle, but we should be leaving. Aro will be impatient when he knows Isabella is in America. You may want to prepare yourself for a visit if he decides to come and look for himself. He really is most anxious to see her."

He shook Carlisle's hand and then led his group away into the maze of alleys.

"Seeing as we aren't needed here, I think we should go home, too," Esme said. She did not like being in such close proximity to the Volturi guard.

We started back towards the cars, Emmett grumbling about missing the fight, and my heart heavy from missing Isabella.

**xXx**

Three days later I got the most welcome phone call of my existence. Alice had warned me that something was going to happen, so I remained at home while the others went to school.

When the phone rang I pounced on it.

"Hello."

"Jasper, it's Eleazar. She's come back."

I didn't wait for another word but dropped the phone back in its cradle and swept the watching Esme into my arms.

"She's come back," I cried, losing all dignity and spinning her around. "She's back. She's back. She's back."

"Then you'd better go to her, shouldn't you," she said, patting my cheek affectionately. "I will tell the others where you have gone, and I will keep them away."

Esme knew me far better than I thought. I wanted this reunion to just be for Isabella and I, without my family's involvement. I had no idea how she would receive me. If it went well, I wanted to be able to spend the time together we needed without interference, and if it went badly… Well, they had seen quite enough of my humiliation already.

"We will need to contact the school," I said, rushing about the room and grabbing up the keys to Emmett's jeep and my wallet. "I don't know how long I will be gone, so you'll need a good excuse."

"Don't worry, dear, I will take care of it all. You go to your Isabella."

My Isabella. It was a wonderful thought.

I kissed Esme's cheek, hugged her for a moment, and ran out of the door.

I was pulling out of the drive when I heard a muffled sob from the house. I faltered for a moment, wanting to go back and tend to her but also needing to get to Bella as soon as I could. I reached out for her with my gift and found, instead of the sadness I expected, she was ecstatically happy.

I pondered, wondering what the trigger was, and realized she was happy because I got so carried away with my joy I had been exuberant in my affection for her.

If I had known it was so easy to make her happy, I would have done it a long time ago.

**xXx**

When I arrived in Denali, the excitement that had sustained me through the journey turned to caution. I had to tread carefully here. One wrong move and I could destroy it all.

I slowed as I drove along the drive and toward the house. Eleazar waited for me at the door, and instead of holding it open for me, he stepped out to meet me.

"Shall we walk?" he asked.

I wanted to get to Isabella, which he knew, so there had to be a good reason he was asking me to delay.

I followed him out into the park. We ran for miles until we were definitely out of range of earshot, or Isabella's gifts.

"I called as soon as I heard her coming," he said. "I didn't think about her reaction. I was just thinking of how you must be feeling without her."

"What's happened?" I asked.

"She is different. I told you how she was when I first knew her. She is like that again. She didn't even speak to us. She just parked her bike in the garage and scaled the side of the house to her room rather than passing us."

That wasn't surprising really. Eleazar had betrayed her trust. I wouldn't want to look him in the eye either. But it didn't explain why she had returned at all if not to see him. As unpredictable as she was, I didn't think she was one for taunting. Something must have happened to drive her here again.

"She won't talk to any of us," he said. "She locked the bedroom door, and none of us have the nerve to break it. Carmen and Tanya have both tried to talk to her through the door, but received no response. I don't know what to do. Do you think I should call Marcus?"

"No," I said firmly. "She is not a child; she can decide who and when she speaks. We saw Demetri and some of the guard in Seattle recently, and he told us that when she returned to the castle she threatened Aro."

"She actually threatened him?" he asked incredulously.

"Apparently so. He said she was furious. I have no idea how she will react to me, but I think if anyone has a chance of making her speak it is me."

Eleazar's panic forced me to be calm. I felt an assurance that I could reach her, merely being close to her again soothed me. I was hopeful the mating bond would have affected her in our separation. I didn't want her to be hurting, but I wanted her to want me.

I ran back to the house and let myself in. Calling greetings to Tanya, Kate, Irina, and Carmen, I climbed the stairs and followed the scent of Isabella to the third floor.

I paused at the door to her room, weighing my options of breaking the door down or knocking when the lock clicked.

The moment between the turning of the handle and the door opening seemed to last a millennia. Then she was there, standing in the doorway a small smile on her face.

"Hello, Jasper."

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for reading. If you would like a teaser of the next chapter let me know in a review or a PM.<strong>

**Simaril x**


	13. Chapter 13: They Knew

**.**

**Disclaimer: **All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Special thanks to Gredelina1, Augustmoon and Mary-Alice-Brandon-Cullen for pre-reading this. **

**This was pre-read by jtmd24 and beta'd by Maxipoo1024 from Sparkly Red Pen. Thank you ladies.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Thirteen — They Knew<strong>

**Jasper POV**

"Hello, Jasper."

I took a deep steadying breath, inhaling her sweet scent, before answering.

"Hello, Isabella."

Merely being in her presence again brought me indescribable comfort; it felt like coming home. I would have liked to reach out and touch her but dared not for fear of making her flee again.

She stood back and gestured me into the room. I stepped inside and stood awkwardly in the middle of the room. She sat on an overstuffed armchair by the window and gestured for me to sit opposite her.

"How have you been?" she asked solicitously.

This was not like the Isabella I first met, nor was she the distant person Eleazar had mentioned. There was something different about her; she was more approachable now that ever.

"I've been we–" I couldn't lie to her. "I've been terrible. I missed you, and I was worried."

She sighed heavily. "Yes, I can imagine. I didn't fare too well without you either. Close your mouth, dear."

I snapped my jaw shut.

"I never wanted a mate," she said abruptly. "They all knew it, but they didn't respect it. Now I have one, and I don't know what to do with you."

"What to do with me?" I asked. "You don't have to _do _anything with me."

"Except that I do. You said you were terrible without me. How can I ignore that?"

I heard the soft footfalls and the door clicking closed as Eleazar and the others gave us privacy for our discussion. With them out of earshot I felt more at ease.

"I have no expectations of you, Isabella. I have hopes and desires, but no expectations."

She smiled at me. "That's because you are a gentleman. I am truly sorry this happened to you, Jasper. You are a good person and deserve someone that can be yours completely. I can never be that."

"Perhaps I do deserve someone that can be completely mine, but I don't want anyone else," I said sincerely. "I want you."

I risked having my heart broken by admitting that much to her, but I couldn't restrain myself. I didn't know how long I would have before she disappeared again, and I wanted to be completely open with her before then. We were past avoidance now, anyway. This could be my only chance to make her understand.

"Which makes this so much harder." She sighed. "I know I must seem a selfish creature, running and leaving you the way I did after it happened, and in a way I am, but I was trying to protect myself."

Was she afraid of me? I couldn't imagine it; she was too powerful to have fear of anything. But if not me, then what?

"I would never hurt you," I vowed.

"I know that you wouldn't intentionally," she assured me. "But I have seen the damage wrought by mating, and I never wanted that for myself. Now it has happened and I fear for _you_. I have been given the best chance of happiness in you. You belong to a peaceful coven, and your history means you are more than capable of protecting yourself. You were not so lucky in me."

"You are more capable than any vampire I have known," I said.

"Forgive me for saying it, but your knowledge is limited. You fought in the Southern Wars, newborns against newborns. You have never seen the true power our kind can possess and the damage they can do. I have."

There was something about the look in her eyes that told me she really had seen too much. I wished I knew what would make that look disappear.

Unaware of my concern, she continued. "You know the life I lead and the risks I face. If I am lost what will happen to you?"

I already knew the answer to that. I had known it since the moment Demetri said she was 'long gone'. I thought she was dead, and my first thought was how I could join her. I planned to seek out Maria again. She would have done me that service. She knew how it felt to live without your mate.

I looked her in the eye. I wanted to see her reaction to my next words. "I would die without you."

She flinched. "You see the problem? My life is dangerous. By having me as your mate you are doomed to the same fate as Marcus."

"It doesn't have to be this way," I said. "You don't have to fight."

She sighed heavily. "I _do _have to fight. It is who I am, my role in the world."

"I think you're wrong," I said boldly. "I think you are using this as an excuse to avoid the real issue here. You don't want to share your life."

"And if I don't? It was my choice to make, and they stole it from me. Now I have you and have lost my friends. Eleazar betrayed me. I can never forgive him for this."

"If you are so angry at him why did you come back?" I asked.

"Because I needed somewhere that felt like home, and seeing as I couldn't go home, I came here. I am less angry with Eleazar compared to the brothers, so this was the better option."

"What happened to you?" I asked. "Why did you need to feel at home?"

She considered carefully before answering, seeming to decide how much she wanted to divulge. "I was on a mission recently," she said. "And I was injured. It had not happened on this scale before, and I needed somewhere I could recover."

She shrugged off her cardigan and turned to show me a thin scar circling her shoulder. I hissed angrily as I saw the evidence of her injury. Someone had removed her arm.

"It was pure luck that I was able to destroy the vampire that did this," she said somberly. "Had things worked out a little differently, you would already be feeling the pain of losing your mate."

I was growing frustrated with her dour attitude. Mating was not about hurt, it was about love. Why couldn't she see it for the blessing it was rather than a curse?

"You keep talking about the mating," I said, drawing the topic to my side. "But you aren't talking about the feelings surrounding it. It is not merely our nature that has drawn us together, but our hearts too. We wouldn't have suffered apart otherwise." I had to do it. I had to say it to her now while I had the chance. "I love you, Isabella."

Her answer came muffled as she hid her face in her hands. "I know you do."

"And do you me?" I asked.

She lowered her hands and looked me in the eye. "I don't know. I'm sorry that's not the answer you want to hear, but I cannot lie. I don't know you well enough to say _that_."

"Well that is easily rectified. What would you like to know?"

"This is not something that can be solved by exchanging life histories, Jasper," she said irritably. "Love is about trusting someone explicitly, handing over a piece of yourself. I'm not sure I can do that."

"Fine, you cannot say you love me, I understand that, but I need to know, for my own sanity if nothing else, do you accept the rest of what is happened. Do you accept who I am?"

"You are my mate," she said grudgingly. "I am not such a fool as to deny that. Lord knows I wish it was different, but it is not. I am yours and you are mine. I just don't know what this means for you. We cannot stay together."

"Why not?"

"Because we belong in different worlds. You have your coven and I have mine. I will have to return to them now, little though I want to, I have responsibilities. This is not like last time; I cannot just take off and leave them."

I wondered what happened 'last time' that made her leave but knew better than to ask. I had a more pressing issue to discuss.

"I can't be away from you again," I said plaintively.

"You shall have to," she said, simply. "You cannot come home with me."

"I can't?" There was unmistakable pain in my voice. I didn't understand why she was so adamant about this. I was a good man. I would make her happy. Why could I not join her?

"I was gone at least a month before your absence began to take its toll on me," she said thoughtfully. "I think if we maintain some sort of contact and meet on a regular basis we should be able to manage the separation between times."

It sounded ridiculous to my ears. She was planning to manage our mating like a custody agreement. I refused to accept it but knew arguing with her would get me nowhere.

She got to her feet and packed the few belongings that were spread about the room into a small bag.

"I shall attend to what needs to be done at home and then I shall come to you in Washington," she said, not looking at me. "I will see how long I can be spared in Volterra, and we can work out an arrangement from that."

I nodded along, pretending I was accepting of this plan; I wasn't, but I would not allow her to see that.

She shouldered her bag and held the door open for me. "Would you take me to the airport?" she asked. "I don't want to leave my bike in long term storage."

"Of course."

She left no note or other missive for Eleazar when we left. He had said she would never forgive him, and I suspected he was right.

At the airport I was surprised that Isabella did not purchase tickets to Italy but Romania.

"I am taking advantage of the opportunity to check in with our Romanian interests," she said in response to my questioning look.

Her plan worked in my favor. If she was in Romania I would have the opportunity to reach Volterra, and Aro, before her.

"Take care of yourself, Jasper," she said as I walked her to the departure gate. "I will see you very soon."

"I look forward to it," I replied.

Our goodbye was oddly formal considering what we were to each other. If not for my immediate plans, I would have struggled with it, but I knew I would be seeing her much sooner than she expected.

If she insisted on dictating what I could and couldn't do, I would have to seek assistance elsewhere. Aro had risked their relationship to aid our mating. I didn't think it was much of a stretch for him to allow me a place in the guard to be with her.

It would be hard to leave my family behind. I knew it would hurt them, but I had no choice. Isabella was my life now.

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading. If you would like a teaser of the next chapter let me know in a review or a PM.<strong>

**Simaril x**


	14. Chapter 14: Volterra

**.**

**Disclaimer: **All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Special thanks to Gredelina1, Augustmoon and Mary-Alice-Brandon-Cullen for pre-reading this. **

**This was pre-read by jtmd24 and beta'd by Maxipoo1024 from Sparkly Red Pen. Thank you ladies.**

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><p><strong>Chapter Fourteen — Volterra<strong>

**Jasper POV**

I arrived in Volterra late evening. I spent at least an hour wandering the streets in search of one of my kind. I wanted someone to escort me to the castle. I didn't know the etiquette for calling on the leaders of our world, but I didn't think it was usual to arrive at the door unannounced. It was Demetri that eventually found me.

"What are you doing here, empath?" he asked by way of a greeting.

"I am here to seek an audience with Aro. I have news of Isabella and a request to make of him."

He gave me a contemplative look and then nodded. "Follow me."

He led me through a maze of streets and to a large drain sunk into the street. Had it not been for the thick scent of vampires in the area, I would have thought it a joke.

He levered open the cover and gestured me ahead of him. Making sure to conceal my surprise, I dropped into the opening, landing on a rough stone floor twenty feet below. He clung to the edge of the opening and slid the cover back in place before dropping down beside me.

"So, you've seen Isabella," he said. "Is she okay?"

I wasn't sure how much to tell him, knowing how she valued her privacy. I decided to keep it vague.

"I saw her just today, and she is well."

He quirked an eyebrow and shook his head. He clearly wanted more information—his impatience bombarded me—but he didn't ask.

We walked in silence through the tunnels until we came to a thick oak door. He slid open the catch and stepped though ahead of me. After walking through a bland reception area and an opulent corridor, we came to an ornately carved door.

"Wait here," he instructed and then passed through the door.

I listened to the hushed voices as he greeted the brothers and announced my presence. I heard Aro's exclamation of pleasure, and after a moment's hushed discussion, he bid me enter.

I marshaled my emotions and expression and then passed through the door.

The room was not at all what I expected. The walls and floor were smooth stone with small windows set high above us. There was no artificial lighting here. Though our eyes did not need it, I was accustomed to the human surroundings. There was nothing human here, other than the thick scent of blood. It set my throat on fire, and I wished I had the foresight to hunt before I got here. No matter. It was too late now.

Spread around the room were a dozen figures. Some I recognized as the hunting party we met in Seattle, others were unfamiliar. They were all robed in cloaks of varying shades of black. The darkest of the shades were worn by the twins, Jane and Alec. Next to them I noticed another female, draped in the same deep, dark garment as the ancients. I surmised the color denoted the rank in the guard and wondered who the female was that earned the black cloak of the leaders.

"Jasper Whitlock," Aro said in a smooth whisper. "I have wanted to meet you for quite some time."

"As have I, you," I said equally as smooth.

He smiled and walked towards me, his hand outstretched. There was nothing in my memories I cared to hide, other than my most recent meeting with Isabella. I didn't think she would want him to know of her injury, but I also knew I could not refuse him. This was not a man accustomed to hearing the word no.

"Aro," a quiet voice said. Though he said no more, his word seemed to resonate with Aro, and he dropped his hand.

"Of course, we must remember our manners. Forgive me, Jasper, but I heard you have seen Isabella recently, and I am eager for news of her."

"You shall have news soon," I offered. "When we parted she said she would return here shortly. She intended to check on the Romanian situation on her way home."

The man I took to be Marcus straightened in his throne and fixed me in his penetrating stare. He did not speak, but his silence spoke volumes. He was even more desperate for news of Isabella than Aro was.

"I come with a request," I said. "And I think it would be better to deal with this before Isabella arrives."

"A request," Aro said thoughtfully. "My interest is piqued; please tell us what we can do for you."

"I wish to join your guard." I stated it baldly. My eagerness to deal with this before Isabella could arrive and force them to refuse me spurred me into action. "I am gifted with the ability to read and influence emotions. I can help you."

Caius scoffed, his amusement evident. Admittedly, my gift was not the most impressive among the guard they now possessed, but it could be useful. They had non-gifted members among them kept for their ability to fight. I spent years in combat with Maria, and my ability would be an asset to them.

I now wished Aro had read my thoughts. It would have made it much easier to state my case if he had direct evidence of my prowess as a fighter.

"You could be an asset," Aro mused, "but I wonder what Isabella would make of this. The fact you have chosen to come alone speaks of subterfuge. Have you discussed this with her?"

"No," I admitted. "She told me I could not join her here, but I do not see any other way for us. As you know we are now mated, therefore we cannot be apart. She would never be happy living among my family, so this is our only option."

"Why do you think she refused you?" Marcus asked.

"I do not know," I said honestly. "Isabella remains an enigma to me."

Aro chortled. "Do not expect that to be rectified soon. I have known Isabella for a millennia, and she remains an enigma to me too."

There was a great deal of muttering from the guard in response to his words. Some of it positive and in agreement with Aro, but others were expressing their displeasure. I imagined her position of preference to the ancients was hard for some of them to accept.

I continued to state my case. "She spoke of living apart and maintaining regular contact through visits, but I do not see that working for us. The three months we spent apart were exceptionally difficult for me, and I suspect for her too. I don't not want her to suffer."

"As is natural," Marcus said and there was something in his tone that I could not identify. "But perhaps she will suffer with your presence."

I did not understand what he was trying to say but did not question him. I suspected he would be less genial than Aro if pushed.

"We shall need to discuss this," Aro said. "Leave us."

I was surprised by the curt dismissal. I realized he was talking to the room as a whole. The guard filtered from the room obediently, and I followed.

I was almost at the door when Aro called to me. "Jasper, please feel free to enjoy the sights of the city while you wait. I shall send Demetri to find you."

I exited the castle and went to the square outside the castle. It was quiet now, only a few humans milling around. I sat at the fountain considering all that happened. I suspected Aro would agree to my joining them, but Caius would not. He did not seem to see the possibilities in my gift. Marcus would be the deciding vote. I knew he would want Isabella to be happy, but for that he had to decide whether my presence as her mate would help her or harm her. She seemed definite in her refusal before.

My phone buzzed with an incoming call. It had been ringing almost constantly since I left Alaska. The only reprieve I had was inside the castle's thick subterranean walls. I diverted it to voicemail without checking the number. It could only be one of the family, and I was not ready to speak to them yet. Alice would have seen my decision to come to Volterra and the request I made of Aro. They would of course be upset, but they would have to understand this was what I needed to do for Isabella.

_Isabella…_

She would not be happy when she learned of what I had done. It was my choice to make, though. I was doing it for myself as much as I was her; I did not want to spend weeks suffering apart to have only a few days of relief while she was with me.

I was pulled from my thoughts by the sound of soft footfalls moving towards me. I raised my head, hoping to see Demetri arriving to summon me back to the brothers, but it wasn't him; it was two very familiar and very displeased looking vampires: Edward and Alice.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, my shock at their arrival evident in my tone.

"We are here to save you from your own idiocy," Alice snapped. "What do you think we were going to do when I saw a vision of you red-eyed and in grey robes?"

My immediate pleasure that she saw me in grey robes – meaning Aro would accept me into the guard – faded and horror took its place. Red-eyed! I fought against my thirst for so long that my gold eyes were now a matter of pride. The idea of returning to the crimson eyed man that battled with himself daily was not an appealing prospect.

"Esme is going out of her mind," Alice continued, oblivious to my quandary. "And Carlisle is hurt. Why would you take off like this and not tell anyone?"

"Because it is what I need to do to be with Isabella," I said honestly, immovable in my decision.

"Dammit, Jasper!" Edward finally spoke. "This isn't what it means to be mated. It is about love and companionship, not sacrificing all you have fought for to please the other."

I was about to retort that I _was_ doing it to please myself, when he stiffened. I heard the footsteps approaching and recognized the scent as Demetri's.

"Is there a family reunion I was not informed of?" he asked sardonically as he drew into sight.

None of us answered. I was embarrassed to admit Edward and Alice were here as a rescue party for my own folly. Their actions, while well meaning, were foolish.

Seeing he was not about to get an answer from us he continued. "Aro is ready to see you now. Do bring your friends. He will be most interested to meet them."

Edward's expression became a blank mask, betraying no emotion. I could feel his tension, though. I wondered what he was hearing in Demetri's thoughts that troubled him.

"Thank you for the invitation," Edward said. "But we were just leaving. _Weren't we,_ _Jasper_?"

He was interfering to the point of aggravation. I had no need of his permission or accompaniment. This was about Isabella and I, no one else.

"I'm afraid I must insist," Demetri said, locking eyes with Edward who nodded resignedly and took Alice's hand.

We were led back through the sewers and into the castle again. Edward kept a firm grip on Alice's hand as we approached the throne room. Just as he had with me, Demetri instructed us to wait outside while he announced our presence to Aro. A moment later the doors swung open and we were bid to enter.

Aro greeted Edward and Alice far more effusively than he had me, and I began to feel the first tingle of unease.

"First things, first," he said, smiling at me widely. "Your request, Jasper, we would be honored to have you among us."

My breath escaped me in a huff of relief. I could be with my Isabella. Relief soon turned to unease again as he turned to Edward with his hand outstretched. He must know by now that Edward and Alice were gifted. Isabella must have told him or showed him. Their abilities would be tremendously useful for him.

Contrary to my unease, Edward and Alice were feeling happiness to the level of bliss as he approached them. They gazed at him with an almost sycophantic look of adoration. For the first time since my arrival, I genuinely felt scared. What was happening here?

I looked deeper at Aro and understood. They were happy because they thought they too would be allowed to join the guard. That they, like me, would be granted that honor. I hoped they would, that we all could. In that moment I wanted nothing more than to please him. I needed an opportunity to show him how much of an asset I could be to him and his brothers.

This was the perfect solution, the whole family could come here to serve and then I could be with Isabella and them too.

Suddenly, the door to the room swung open and crashed against the stone wall. Isabella stood in the doorway her face a mask of fury.

"Again, Aro," she growled ferociously. "You would do this again?"

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading. If you would like a teaser of the next chapter let me know in a review or a PM.<strong>

**Simaril x**


	15. Chapter 15: Coercion

**Disclaimer: **All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Special thanks to Gredelina1, Augustmoon and Mary-Alice-Brandon-Cullen for pre-reading this. This was beta'd by Maxipoo1024 from Sparkly Red Pen.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Fifteen — Coercion <strong>

**Bella POV**

I was sad to leave Jasper in Alaska, but I knew I had made the right choice; he would not be able to handle life in Volterra. All he had suffered in his early years would be nothing compared to the temptations and emotions he would suffer through among my coven.

My short stop in Romania was both informative and worrying. As expected, Stefan and Vladimir were once again working toward our downfall. This time. their genius lan relied on newborns. There were at least thirty freshly turned vampires spread around their lair, copulating on the ground and fighting. There was an older vampire among them I assumed was in charge. She was exceptionally small, with long black hair. She was thoroughly unremarkable and certainly not gifted. As plans went, this was not Stephan and Vladimir's best. It did not do to underestimate them, though, so I made sure to survey the area carefully before leaving.

I called for the jet to meet me in Romania before I left Alaska. I would have used it to fly out, but I wanted to be away from Jasper before things could become more complicated. As it was, we had an arrangement that would enable us both to live our lives; if we had been together longer, my resolve may not have lasted.

We touched down at the small private airport in Italy late evening, and I made my way back to the city on foot. I was not particularly looking forward to my return home. I was still angry at Aro and Marcus for their involvement in my mating, and Caius to a lesser degree. I doubted he had been involved directly, but the fact he hadn't warned me did not endear him to me. When I reached the reception area, I caught three familiar and most unwelcome scents: Jasper, Alice, and Edward. My first reaction was confusion, shortly followed by annoyance. I didn't know what Edward and Alice were doing here, but it wasn't difficult to deduce the reason behind Jasper's presence. He had been far too agreeable when I said he wasn't to join me here, now I knew why; the stubborn fool was planning to come anyway.

I sped my pace through the halls toward the throne room. In the split second between the doors flying open and drawing a breath to speak, I saw and understood it all. Jasper, Edward, and Alice were staring at Aro with sycophantic devotion. Chelsea had them fixed within her gaze. Marcus stared at the opposite wall, his discomfort evident, and Aro looked supremely satisfied.

"Again, Aro," I growled. "You would do this again?"

His look of satisfaction faded as he looked at me and mulish defensiveness took its place. I couldn't wait to hear his justification for doing this.

"Isabella, how wonderful to see you again." He greeted me effusively. "I have been talking with your mate and his coven—"

"I know exactly what you were doing," I snarled. "All of you get out!" I directed my order at the guard milling at the edges of the scene, and they started toward the door.

"Not you!" I qualified as Chelsea followed after them.

She froze on the threshold and looked back to Aro for guidance. He watched the rest of the guard leaving in silence, and I knew he would have been happy to watch her leave too. The longer Jasper, Edward, and Alice were under her influence the more strength the bond would have. He evidently chose to appease me, though, as he nodded curtly to her and went back to sit in his throne.

Once the room was empty of surplus guards, I turned my attention to Chelsea again.

"Remove your influence, now." She turned to look at Aro again, but I gripped her jaw and forced her to look at me. _"Now!"_

I knew the moment it happened as Edward pulled Alice behind him defensively and Jasper looked at me with dawning realization.

"What happened?" Alice asked, looking thoroughly bemused.

"Aro," I said with a quirked brow, "do you want to explain or shall I?"

By speaking to him like this before witnesses and ordering Chelsea to do my bidding, I was essentially destroying any hopes I had of maintaining my tenuous role as exalted guard. I was taking the role Marcus had designed for me all those centuries ago. I was now a leader.

I hated it had come to this, but the sacrifice was necessary. It didn't look as though Aro was going to speak any time soon, so I took up the explanation for him.

"This is Chelsea." I introduced the woman now attempting to burn a hole into the floor with her gaze. "She has the ability to manipulate relationship ties. She bound you to Aro, but she has removed her influence now. _She_ _will not do it again."_ My last words came as a softly hissed warning.

She nodded her acquiescence and made for the door again. This time I allowed her to leave.

"Why would you do that?" Jasper asked Aro. "I offered you my services freely."

"Because he can't help himself," I said bitterly. "He's greedy. Alice and Edward would have been too tempting for him, and he would have influenced you as a precaution. Unfortunately for him, _none_ of you will be joining us."

Jasper stiffened. I felt his annoyance surge, and I knew he was planning to argue the point. I cut him off before he could. "Let us all retire to discuss this in private."

Edward and Alice looked exceptionally relieved at the opportunity to leave, but Jasper had an expression of stubborn defiance. I stopped concentrating on blocking his gift and allowed him to feel the full force of my anger. It was not entirely directed at him, but I didn't allow him to know that. I needed to get them away. I turned to Aro, Marcus and Caius and fixed them with a stern look.

"I will be back presently. I have news."

Satisfied that the possibility of news of the Romanians would hold them in place long enough for me to deal with Jasper, I strode from the room with Jasper, Alice, and Edward trailing after me. I led them to my own quarters and flung open the door. Marching inside, I shrugged off my cloak and threw it onto the lounge chair.

"What were you thinking coming here?" I asked, enunciating each word carefully.

"We came to rescue Jasper," Alice volunteered.

"I did not need rescuing," he said rudely. His irritation was greater because he was being affected by the emotional tenor of the room.

"If you really did come here in the hopes of joining the guard, you definitely needed rescuing. What on earth were you thinking?" I crossed my arms over my chest and locked eyes with him.

"I was thinking I am your mate and we should be together." His eyes darkened as his anger grew. "I was thinking I am not a child that needs to be ordered around by you, that I am an equal in this and therefore can make my own decisions."

His words halted me for a moment. Was that how I made him feel? Like a child?I couldn'tfollowthose thoughts, to do so would cause my determination to waver.

"That anger you're feeling," I said conversationally. "That hate, and thirst, and need, that is this place. I told you that you could not join me here for a reason. This place will destroy you. And if the emotions are not bad enough, imagine how it will feel to be in near constant temptation. We feed well and often here, parades of humans coming into the castle for our meals. They emote and think and scream. Did you consider any of this when you made your idiotic choice to come here?"

"I can handle it," he said stubbornly.

I barely noted Alice and Edward presence in the room, all my attention was focused on the man in front of me.

"Perhaps you can, but I cannot. I cannot watch you suffer through all of that to be with me. It is not fair."

"I didn't think," he admitted. "But I cannot be away from you."

"You will have to be. We can either be apart for a time and happy, or together always and miserable," I said. "I know which I choose."

"I don't want our mating to be managed like a human custody agreement," he muttered.

"I have no idea what that means," I admitted.

"When a human child's parents…" Edward began, but trailed off under Jasper's glare.

"Never mind."

"You cannot stay here," I said addressing them all but looking at Jasper. "This place is not for you. I will see you to the airport."

"Isabella, you cannot just order me away," Jasper said.

I sighed heavily. "That is not my intent. But you cannot stay here; it is not the right place for you. There are things I must do for my coven, and then I can join you in America for a time."

"You're going to live with us?" Alice asked hopefully.

I fought back the chill of horror that possibility brought to mind. Doomed to a lifetime of playing human and being deferential to the doctor? That would _not_ work.

"We shall need to organize something," I said vaguely. "I cannot leave the coven permanently, too much changed today for that to be possible."

They each looked at me blankly, but I did not elucidate. I opened the door and called for Felix. He arrived a moment later, giving me a cautious look as he paid obeisance.

"Please see Edward and Alice to the airport and arrange for them to be taken home," I instructed. "Let no one interfere with them in the mean time, or I will hold you personally responsible."

He flinched, but marshaled himself, nodded obediently and gestured them out of the room ahead of him. After casting Jasper concerned looks, they left, leaving Jasper and I alone.

"Am I not going with them?" he asked.

"You will soon. I thought we should have some time together first. I think there has been a misunderstanding somewhere between us, and it would be good to deal with that first."

He nodded and crossed his arms over his chest in a gesture of defiance. "I am not going to apologize for coming here. I did what I believed to be necessary for us both."

"That's fine. I will not apologize for failing to explain myself properly when I suggested our visitation plan either. I _know_ I did what was best for us both. Aro's manipulation has proved my point better than anything I could have thought of."

"Why did he do that really?" he asked.

I sighed heavily. "I don't truly know. There was certainly an element of greed involved—he cannot help himself—but it is unlike him to disrespect me in that way. I imagine he has convinced himself it was for my own good by now. He is remarkably creative when defending himself. The influence has been removed now, though, and Chelsea will not dare do it again."

"You really scared her. I felt it. In fact you scared them all."

"Good," I said simply. "I need them scared."

"You do?" he asked. I could feel the curiosity radiating from him.

"By challenging Aro the way I did, I changed my position here," I explained. "My situation has always been tenuous. I maintained that I was a guard, but someone disagreed. They believed my position was that of an equal. By taking care to never challenge them I have remained as I am. When I enabled Eleazar to leave, I made my position even more tenuous, but by acting subservient afterward, I remained a guard. This time I was unable to do that. So, by challenging Aro, I have become, in the minds of our guard, a leader."

"Eleazar told me about that," he said. "You didn't want to be a leader."

"I still don't, but it is too late for regret. What's done is done. Now I must make the best of what I have."

"You did that for me," he said with some unnameable emotion in his eyes.

"You are very special to me," I said.

He truly was. I didn't know if what I felt was love or just the pull of mating, but he was what mattered now. When I saw Chelsea's influence in his adoring look to Aro, I had been enraged. Any lingering doubts I had about our relationship were cast aside. He was mine and I was his. There was nothing either of us could do about that.

"I need to speak with my brothers," I said, using the informal title that came with leadership for the first time, aloud. "Would you like to come with me? You haven't been formally introduced after all."

"Demetri introduced us," he said, his brow furrowed with confusion.

"Yes, but you have not been introduced as my mate."

His answering smile was positively dazzling. He saw what I was saying and what it meant.

"In that case please introduce us."

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading. If you would like a teaser of the next chapter let me know in a review or a PM.<strong>

**Simaril x**


	16. Chapter 16: Introductions

**Disclaimer: **All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Special thanks to Gredelina1, Augustmoon and Mary-Alice-Brandon-Cullen for pre-reading this. This was beta'd by Maxipoo1024 from Sparkly Red Pen.**

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><p><strong>Chapter Sixteen — Introductions<strong>

**Isabella POV**

I walked toward the throne room in silence. Jasper trailed behind me, his eyes fixed on the ornate doors at the end of the hall with a frozen expression. I was so caught up in what _I _was about to do when I saw my brothers, I had forgotten just how daunting this may be for him. Taking someone else's needs and feelings into account was a new experience for me. Unexpectedly, I found I liked it.

"It's okay," I said, giving him an encouraging smile. "Don't be nervous. They are more scared of me than you could ever be of them."

He huffed a laugh. "You are an incredible woman."

My smile grew even wider. "Oh, I know."

They knew I was here and had no doubt heard me coming back, but their expressions were still something to savor as I swung open the doors and entered the throne room. They quickly schooled them into something a little more dignified.

"Isabella," Aro said as he glided towards us, "your return soothes my heart. And Jasper too. It is so good to see you."

Jasper nodded curtly. This was perfect; I had no doubt he was remaining silent as he didn't know what to say, but to the witnesses it would look as if he was treating Aro as an equal. As my mate he would draw attention from those that knew of me. This would all help to build up an image of him as a fierce man not to be trifled with.

The guard was congregated in the room again, watching our exchange carefully.

"You can leave us," I said, forcing my features into a smile.

They trailed out one by one, Jane last. She gave me a searching look as she passed, and I shook my head. As tempting as it was, I had no desire to keep her here to use her gift for myself. In truth, I had no desire for her to exist at all; she and Alec were unholy beasts, but I accepted that they were necessary for our cause.

When we were alone, and I was sure there was no one listening in I turned my attention to my brothers and dropped my false smile. Aro visibly stiffened.

"I am angry," I said simply. "But I apologize for the way I made my exit before. It was thoughtless of me. Has it cost us anything?"

Aro shook his head. "Their loyalty is as strong as ever, especially to you. You have given them plenty to talk about, though."

I nodded thoughtfully. That was good. They could talk all they liked to each other. It was the news reaching our enemies that worried me. I gestured to Jasper.

"This, as you know, is Jasper Whitlock. He is my mate, and you will treat him and his coven with the same respect you would me."

To his credit Aro did look a little abashed at my not-so-subtle reminder of his manipulations.

"Of course. Welcome, Jasper. I apologize if recent… events, caused offense, I was merely hoping to hold you and your coven members here for Isabella's return. It would have been a terrible waste if you had missed one another."

Just as I suspected, he was finding a way to turn it in his favor already. He really was a master manipulator. Aro's hand twitched toward Jasper. I knew what he wanted, but he was not going to get it. Jasper's memories and thoughts were his own and not trifles to entertain Aro. I took Jasper under the protection of my shield and blocked Aro's reaching hand. He frowned but didn't protest.

"Have I missed anything of importance?" I asked.

"There have been developments," Caius said, casting Jasper a cautious look.

"He will not be leaving," I said firmly.

It was unheard of for anyone outside of the four us to be in these discussions. Even the guard didn't know half of what was happening until we had decided a plan of action. Jasper was my mate, though, and I realized this was an important moment. My insisting he be present for this set his place at my side in both his mind and my brothers'.

"We destroyed a Romanian vampire a month ago that had been sent as a spy," Aro said. "He was gifted and they hoped we would want him for the guard, but the gift was of no value to us. He didn't know much of their plans. Stephan was careful for once, but it bears watching."

"Stephan and Vladimir lead the Romanian coven," I explained, seeing Jasper's confusion. "They are the only two of the original coven that we warred with for a millennia. We could have destroyed them centuries ago, but Aro finds it amusing to see what ideas for our destruction they come up with next."

Jasper frowned. "So they are constantly attacking you and you let them?"

"Once a century or so we sweep in, destroy their army, and leave them to try again," Caius said. "It serves as a warning to other hostile covens. And Isabella enjoys it too."

Jasper gave me a searching look, waiting for me to disagree, I wouldn't; I enjoyed the occasional all out war.

"I have to find my entertainment somehow," I said lightly. "I have news of them too. I checked into Romania before I returned and found they are building an army of newborns. I saw thirty, and they were very young."

Jasper's eyes widened. He was shocked at the number. He was used to the numbers of the southern wars, small covens building small armies. Vladimir and Stephan were capable of creating ten times that number and managing them well. They were once the rulers of our kind. Just because their number had been decimated, did not do to forget that.

"How many mature vampires did you see?" Caius asked.

"Only one, a female, but I did not see Stephan or Vladimir. There could have been more inside their lair."

The last time we had fought them they had taken to surrounding themselves with a guard a lot like we did with our own. We had destroyed their guard then, but they had plenty of time to form a new one. I wondered if they had learned the value of psychic gifts yet, or if they still relied on physical strength alone.

I held out my hand to Aro and when he took it, I showed him the small female.

He laughed delightedly. "But this is just too perfect. That is not just any vampire, Isabella. That woman is Maria."

Jasper visibly stiffened. "Maria?"

"Yes, indeed, your creator had evidently returned to her old ways. She is managing Stephan and Vladimir's newborns for them. I would have thought she had more sense than to return to the battleground.

The Southern Wars ended over eight decades ago. The humans had become too vigilant to allow the practice to continue, and we were forced to step in more and more often to cover exposure. The territory wars ceased, and the old armies were destroyed or disbanded. I had not met Maria at the time, though I had my part in dealing with the armies. She must have belonged to one of the groups that saw the end coming and moved before our arrival. It was a strange coincidence that the female I had been so close to today was the one that made Jasper who he was.

"I don't understand," Jasper said quietly. "Why would she return to the fight after so long."

Aro gave him an assessing look. "You would know her mind better than any. Why do you think she would join with Stephan and Vladimir?"

He was quiet for a long time before answering. "She misses the thrill of battle. She was always happiest in the midst of the action; retirement would not have satisfied her."

I would have felt the same way, and yet it was a choice I too was facing. I loved my life, but my tie to Jasper was stronger. He could not stay here with me. The place would destroy him, yet the idea of joining him in his sedate coven was not tempting. It was not a question for now. I needed to deal with the Romanians first.

Caius nodded contemplatively. He enjoyed a fight as much if not more than I did, and he could sympathize with Maria's need for action. "I suggest we prepare a hunting party," he said with a cruel smile. "Scout the area first, and then move in for the kill."

"I agree, but I think we should…" I trailed off as the sounds of thudding hearts and muffled voices reached us from the tunnels. Heidi was returning with a meal.

"We have to leave!" I said frantically.

"I apologize, we didn't know you would be here," Aro said as I glared at him.

I hurried Jasper towards the door. He looked offended at my obvious panic, perhaps he thought I was doubting his control. I wasn't. It was myself I was worried about.

We made it to the reception area before we encountered the group. Heidi's steps faltered as she saw me, her tour guide spiel paused for a moment, before she hurried on. I would deal with her next time. There were people in that group that were still practically children. It was not acceptable, but now, I had to get out before the blood started flowing and the hearts stopped beating. I led Jasper back to my quarters and slammed the door behind us.

"I can control myself," he said angrily. "You didn't need to drag me away like a wayward child. I would have resisted."

I was caught off guard by his anger. "I know that!"

"What will your brothers think of me now? I understand you have the power here, and that affords you a certain expectation of the way you are treated, but just because I am not Volturi, it doesn't mean I don't deserve respect too, Isabella. To drag me away like that will have voided any chance I had at gaining their approval as your mate. They will think I am nothing more than a pet."

"Jasper!" I shouted, my own anger was rising now. "What just happened has nothing to do with you and your ability to control yourself."

"Then why did you behave like that?"

"Because _I_ am the one with the problem," I growled. "I could not be there while they fed because of what would happen to _me_."

He gazed at me, his eyes searching for answers I did not want to give. I did not want to, but I would. I thumped down on the chaise lounge and hid my face my face in my hands.

"I _cannot_ feed from humans." I said. "Or rather I cannot feed directly from humans without terrible suffering."

"I don't understand."

"Have you heard of the human phenomenon of _life flashing before your eyes_?" He nodded. "I see it," I said simply. "When a human dies with me I am forced to relieve their life with them in those last few moments. Just like you feel their fear, I see their life. It is unbearable. My early months were spent in near constant state of horror. The burn of the thirst drove me to feed, but with each feeding I would see another failed life. I almost went mad with it all."

"That why you have so little opinion of humans."

"Indeed. Every single one of them regrets something as they die, and it is usually something petty and pointless, then I see the next person making the same mistakes. It is maddening."

"I imagine it is painful too," he said, giving me an assessing look.

I opened my mouth to argue, but realized there was no point. He alone of anyone understood how this felt.

"Agonizing. I would stop myself from feeding for weeks at a time, and then the thirst would become too much to bear. When they discovered the problem they look to draining the blood for me, and I would feed from a receptacle, but, as I'm sure you can imagine, that was disgusting. It wasn't until I discovered that animal blood could sustain us that I began to enjoy my life again."

"I am sorry you suffered," he said, raising a hand as if to caress my face and then dropping it again. "And I am sorry for my anger, I misunderstood."

"It was understandable," I said. "Perhaps I should have explained it to you sooner. You are the first outside of the coven and Eleazar to know this about me. This is my greatest weakness."

Or rather it was. Jasper was now my greatest weakness. Such was the nature of mating.

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading. If you would like a teaser of the next chapter let me know in a review or a PM.<strong>

**Simaril x**


	17. Chapter 17: Joined

**Disclaimer: **All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Special thanks to Gredelina1, Augustmoon and Mary-Alice-Brandon-Cullen for pre-reading this. This was beta'd by Maxipoo1024 from Sparkly Red Pen.**

**IMORTANT NOTE: This chapter originally contained a lemon, but because of the latest witch hunt for stories violating the TOS I have cut it. If you want to read the lemon let me know and I will send it to you in a PM.**

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><p><strong>Chapter Seventeen — Joined<strong>

When Isabella told me what she thought of as her greatest weakness, it was as if it broke a dam in her. I realized the playful Isabella I had first met in Alaska was, just like her Volturi persona, another charade. I now saw the real Isabella, and I loved her more than ever.

I wanted to comfort her. I reached out tentatively, remembering the violent reaction she had to the last time we touched. I was afraid of sending her running away again. She closed the gap between us, and I was lost. It was as if an electric charge shot through me, awakening every cell of my being in a way I hadn't felt since my very first taste of human blood.

There was no question she felt it too. Her eyes widened and a low growl built in her chest. No longer restrained by caution, I pulled her against me and our lips met in a kiss so powerful it felt like it was literally burning me.

xXx

Hours later, or perhaps days—it was hard to tell—I came from the lust driven haze and examined my surroundings.

The chair was lower than I remembered. The splinters of wood surrounding us showed that we had crushed the legs at some point.

In fact, we had done quite a lot of damage to the room during our lovemaking. Chunks of wall were crushed with person shaped indentations. The tall mirror that stood by the closet was now shards of glass on the floor. The gauzy curtains were scraps on the floor. I had no idea how we had managed that.

Isabella was lying with her head in my lap. Her eyes were closed, and she looked as if she was sleeping. I ran a hand through her hair, and her eyes opened. They were not the gold I expected, but shocking crimson.

"Your eyes," I said hesitantly.

"You seemed to like them red earlier," she said.

I had a vague memory of her red eyes locked with mine as she moved above me.

She blinked and when she opened them again they were back to gold.

"Why is it so hazy for me?" I asked.

She stretched languidly. "I don't know, perhaps it would be for me too if not for my shield. I have never sealed a mating bond before, obviously, so I don't know if it is usual. We could always ask your coven. I imagine Emmett would have some interesting theories."

I laughed. "He certainly would. Let us not ask. I've found where Emmett is concerned, less is more."

She shifted to sit on my lap, our bare flesh touching. She had shown no aversion to my scars, but had laved them with her tongue as if wiping away the foreign venom that had long since made its place in my flesh.

"I love you," I said softly.

She hid her face against my neck. "You are very special to me."

It was not the response I wished for, but it still made me happy to hear it.

xXx

We stayed in her chamber all night. Though she did not say it, and I didn't push the subject, I suspected she wanted to allow time for the evidence of the feeding to fade. I was happy to wait, I enjoyed the time alone together.

In the afternoon, we returned to the throne room. I stood silently as she and her brothers discussed the Romanian threat. I wanted to join the discussion but didn't. I was still unsure of my limitations here. I had a request to make of her, but I suspected it would be better made in private than among her coven.

I noticed she avoided meeting Marcus' eye while they spoke. He was eager to speak to her, but she was doing all she could to deny him the opportunity. Finally, his patience was spent, and he openly requested a moment alone with her.

She sighed heavily. "Very well. Jasper, would you like to stay here so my brothers can interrogate you, or would you prefer to wait in my chambers?" She asked it in a joking tone, but I knew from the intensity of Caius' stare, he was eager for a chance to speak with me.

"I am happy to wait here," I said serenely.

Marcus offered an arm to her, and she took it willingly and walked from the room. I felt a pang of jealously at their easy contact. She and I had not had physical contact since the moment she learned of our mating. I wanted more than anything to touch her, but I was leery of risking her fleeing from me again.

When they were gone, I turned to Caius and waited for the interrogation to begin.

"I hope you understand just how lucky you are," he said smoothly.

I nodded. "I am aware of just how special she is."

"That is not what I meant," he said. "Though I am pleased you note how lucky you are to have mated to her, I meant the fact she returned to you after only three months. The last time she fled from us, she was gone almost three decades."

"Caius," Aro said in a warning tone, "think what you are saying."

"I am merely pointing out his good fortune," he said, unabashed. "Marcus was not so fortunate."

My curiosity was piqued. Eleazar had mentioned a dispute between Isabella and Marcus before she left, but I did not know the details. I knew that Caius had engineered this conversation to make me ask for more details, but I refused him the satisfaction.

"Then I am even more grateful," I said, schooling my features into a calm mask.

Aro understood what I was doing and gave me a small smile.

"What are your plans, now?" he asked. "Isabella has made it clear that she does not want you to reside here."

A fact I was still perturbed by. I couldn't be away from her without suffering, though I knew I could not stay here. My first experience of a feeding was unpleasant. Though I told Isabella I could have controlled myself, I was not so sanguine now. Alice had seen me here with red eyes in her vision. I did not want to return to the human blood diet I had fought for my control.

More than the temptation of human blood was the emotions of the castle. When I had been with Maria, I had lived in a constant environment of hate and bloodlust. Here, I was among constant greed and ill concealed resentment. The female, Chelsea, kept the guard as a functioning group, but she was unable to alter their emotions.

"I shall have to discuss this with Isabella," I said. "But I agree, I cannot stay here. I could leave my coven and we could live apart, but I do not know if the life of a nomad would satisfy her."

I did not want to leave the family, but if that was what it took to be with her I would make the sacrifice.

"I think you may be surprised," Aro said, drawing an incredulous look from Caius. "Isabella has already changed so much since accepting your mating, she may think the sacrifice worth it."

"But is she not required here?" I asked. "She said her position had…changed since her opposition of you."

"Which gives her even more freedom that ever before," Aro said. "As a leader Isabella will not answer to anyone, not that she ever did really." He smiled fondly.

"Do you wish her to leave us?" Caius asked Aro. I felt a surge of anger from him. From what I had seen, I thought he was the one with the least attachment to Isabella, now I saw otherwise. He cared for her just as much as Marcus and Aro did, but he was better at concealing it.

"Calm, brother," Aro soothed. "I am thinking of Isabella and what she needs. Can you imagine being parted from Athenodora for any length of time?"

He didn't answer, but I felt the shift in his emotions. The mere thought of being away from his mate hurt him.

He was saved from answering by Isabella and Marcus' return. She came to my side and smiled radiantly in greeting. He, on the other hand, looked exceptionally morose. His eyes bored into me. The sensation made me distinctly uncomfortable.

xXx

There was a perceptible air of excitement among the guard the following days. Demetri was leading a group to Romania to scout the area before they made their move. I suspected Isabella would have liked to join him, but she did not speak of it. It seemed she had too much to attend to already.

She gave me a tour of the castle, which I suspected had a dual purpose. It was true that she wanted to show me her home, but I noticed whenever we passed a member of the guard in the halls she moved a little closer to me and made her smile much more radiant. She was ensuring they all knew who and what I was to her.

I was happy to play along, a small mischievous part of me wished I could take her to Forks High and parade her in the corridors to do the same. The mindless sheep that made up the student population would soon learn not to approach me if they saw her glare at them.

We went to the nearby nature reserve to hunt together. I had never seen Isabella hunt before, and it was an experience to be relished.

The wildlife of the area was not what I was used to in America. The most prolific animal was wild boar, and they tasted absolutely disgusting; we settled for deer instead.

I fed first. It had been a while since I had hunted and the recent feeding in the castle had not helped the creeping burn in my throat.

She leaned against a tree and watched with a contemplative expression as I took down the doe. I took more care with my hunt than usual, wanting her to see my prowess, but her expression was unreadable as I approached her.

My hunt had scared away the remaining deer, so we tracked them deeper into the forest for her hunt.

She smiled impishly at me before darting forward and catching a stag. Her moves were sinuous and smooth as she pinned it to the ground and sank her teeth into its throat. Her lips closed around the flow of blood and her eyes slipped closed. It was beautiful to watch, and a little erotic.

When the flow of blood ceased she rose to her feet and dusted off her pants.

"Disgusting, but infinitely better than humans," she said with a small smile. I returned it automatically. It was as if all my reactions were in sync with her now.

She moved to the small pool close by and rinsed off her hands then sat down on the ground. I noticed she had taken on some of my 'human' habits recently, even when we were alone. It pleased me more as I remembered her scorn of my suggestion to sit the first time we were alone together.

I sat beside her and she shifted to sit on my lap. She traced the lines of my forehead with her fingertips.

"What are you thinking?" she asked.

"I am thinking of the Romanians," I said honestly. "I am thinking that I don't want you to fight them."

She laughed lightly. "I will not be fighting them alone. The guard will be with me."

"I know, and that does ease my mind somewhat, but I was thinking perhaps I should come too."

She was silent for an exceptionally long time. I had expected her to refuse me outright, but this calm thoughtfulness gave me hope.

"It is an interesting idea," she said finally. "You are certainly experienced enough for the fight. Hmmm… I wonder."

This was going even better that I could have imagined.

"I shall make a deal with you," she said. "If you consent to a sparring match with myself and some of the guards, then you can come."

"You want me to fight you?" I asked incredulously. The prospect was abhorrent to me.

"No, dear. You and I shall fight as a team against them."

Fighting alongside Isabella, sounded positively easy.


	18. Chapter 18: Fighting Styles

**Disclaimer: **All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Special thanks to Gredelina1, Augustmoon and Mary-Alice-Brandon-Cullen for pre-reading this. This was beta'd by Maxipoo1024 from Sparkly Red Pen.**

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><p><strong>Chapter Eighteen — Fighting Style <strong>

**Isabella POV**

"I know," he said, "and that does ease my mind somewhat, but I was thinking perhaps I should come too."

_No! _

My every instinct screamed at me to refuse him. The risk was too great. He could be hurt. I could not allow it to happen. I knew if I was to refuse him outright, I would be met with mulish determination or even anger. A new idea occurred to me.

_Hmmm, I wonder._

If I could make him see the risk our fighting together would pose, I could refuse him with a clear conscience.

It was underhanded of me—some may even say cruel—to subject Jasper to this, but I suspected it was the only way I could make him understand. He couldn't fight with me. The risk was too great.

Eager to show his prowess, he hurried us back to the castle. He went to my chamber to change, and I went in search of someone to fight against us. I would have liked Demetri, as he was a fierce opponent and one of the only people not afraid to hurt me, but he was still in Romania.

I found my way to the throne room and assessed the guard present. Santiago, Jane, and Felix were there, as was Afton and Chelsea—though they were of no use to me. Afton was little more than a decoration around the castle, and Chelsea would be in very real danger of me destroying her if we were pitted against one another again.

"Jane. Felix, Santiago," I called. "Would you please accompany to the feeding chamber? There is a service I require of you."

Obediently, they hurried to my side. I was still not used to the immediate action my new inflated position among the coven provided. Before, this situation would have needed an explanation and a few dazzling smiles. Now, they obeyed without question. Leading apparently had its benefits after all.

Marcus gave me a curious look, and I gestured him to follow. I met Jasper in the halls, and we walked hand in hand to the feeding chamber.

I was relieved that the powerful reaction we'd had to physical contact before had not repeated itself. As pleasurable as it had been, I did not much like the idea of falling into lust at every moment of contact. It could become very embarrassing.

"Do you feel up to a little sparring match?" I asked Marcus.

He raised an eyebrow. He and I had not fought for a very long time, not since my newborn years when he was struggling to make me feed. It was not his fault; it was before he understood why I resisted.

I shot him a pleading look, and he nodded. "Very well. I assume there is a reason for your request other than the opportunity to show off."

I scowled at him. I did not show off… often.

"There most certainly is. Jasper wishes to accompany us to Romania, and I want to show him the way we operate."

Marcus knew me well. My simple statement told him all he needed to know. I wanted to show Jasper how _I_ operated and why it was better for me to fight alone.

"We will begin with one on one contact," I told them all when we were situated in the feeding room. "And then move onto larger groups. No gifts yet please."

Jane frowned. She wasn't used to fighting on strength alone, but I needed her to save that little gift for later.

"Felix, if you would oblige." I stepped into the centre of the room and gestured him forward.

Jasper opened his mouth to protest, but I cut him off with a stern look. He wanted to fight with me; let him see how it worked first.

Felix fought like a newborn, relying on his immense strength alone. He charged at me like a bull, and I dodged him. I caught his arm as he passed and gave it a sharp tug. It was not nearly hard enough to remove his arm, but it did strain the joint sufficiently that small hairline fractures formed on his shoulder.

He hissed in pain and charged at me again. This time I let him knock me to the floor, but then used my legs to send him flying over my head. Momentarily stunned by the speed of my attack, he remained on the ground a second too long. I straddled his chest and pressed my teeth to the curve of this thick neck.

"My kill."

I looked to Jasper who seemed torn between being horrified and impressed.

"What do you think?" I asked.

"I think you are a very dangerous creature," he said then smiled. "But I also think it was a mismatched fight. Felix may be strong, but he fights like Emmett: no finesse."

Felix growled and I slapped his arm. "Behave."

"Who is up next?" Santiago asked.

"Well, if he is willing, I thought you and Jasper could have a go against one another," I said lightly.

Like Felix, Santiago was immensely strong, but he had the flair for the fight that Felix was lacking. He would pose a real challenge for Jasper.

I stepped aside and stood beside Marcus.

"Are you sure you know what you are doing?" he whispered in my ear.

"Aren't I always?" I turned the question back on him.

He smiled and shrugged.

Jasper and Santiago started their fight, and I watched with avid interest. Jasper was, as I suspected, a very competent fighter. His years in the southern wars had taught him well. He matched Santiago blow for blow.

Santiago managed to pin Jasper, and I cringed, sure the fight was over, but I underestimated Jasper. With a move so fast it was almost a blur, he twisted beneath Santiago and pinned him to the ground.

"My kill," he snarled.

My mouth dropped open. I had never seen Santiago bested so fast. Not even by Felix, who was the most evenly matched in strength. I had severely underestimated Jasper.

He leapt to his feet and held out a hand to Santiago to help him from the floor. Though it was an unnecessary gesture physically, it was a good way to cast off any lingering resentment between the pair.

Santiago took his hand and got smoothly to his feet. "That was fun," he said with a broad grin. "We are definitely doing that again."

Jasper nodded mutely and came to my side.

"Well?"

"You certainly impressed me."

"Of course, he did," Felix said carelessly. "Anyone can take Santiago, let me have a go with him."

"Tempting, but no," I said lightly. "I think it is time for a group attack."

This was something we once frequently did to test the abilities of possible guard. Since we stopped actively recruiting, the practice had fallen out of fashion. There was too much risk of destruction. When a group of vampires were fighting at once, they tended to get carried away. Now was no time for playing it safe, though. Since seeing Jasper fight, my resolve was wavering. He was a impressive fighter, but I did not _want _him to fight.

"It will be Jasper and I against you all," I said.

"Isabella," Marcus said, shock coloring his tone. "Are you sure?"

I knew he was less concerned about the odds being against us, and more upset that he would be fighting me.

"I am certain. Though if you wish to abstain I will understand."

He considered for a moment and then shook his head. "I will fight."

Jasper took my hand and pulled me aside. "Are you _really_ sure about this? I am not doubting your abilities, but this is a large group to face; I don't want you to get hurt."

I ignored the subtle snub.

"If you truly want to come to Romania with us this is the kinda of opposition we will be facing," I said. "Admittedly, we have Jane and Alec onside, but it does not do to go in unprepared."

His jaw set and a determined gleam came into his eyes. "I want to come."

"Very well, in that case we fight."

The others in the room were listening to our conversation with interest. I used their distraction to position myself back to back with Jasper.

He reached an arm behind him and pulled me close against him. It was as if he was hoping to shield me from their attacks. It was futile. I knew exactly how this would work out.

Marcus was the first to strike, and he aimed for Jasper. He was a fearsome fighter, though like me, he was out of practice, not having been on an active mission for quite some time.

He dropped to the ground and swept Jasper's feet out from under him. I wanted to watch their fight, but Felix was bearing down on me, and he took all my focus to repel him.

Jane stood back watching us. She was fighting the urge to use her gift. I was tempted to use it for myself, but I resisted.

Felix used my momentary distraction to pull me from Jasper's back and fling me across the room. I crashed into the wall, crushing the stones behind me.

I heard a feral roar of rage, and turned in time to see Jasper thrust away Marcus and Santiago.

He hurried to my side, but I held up a hand to halt him. This was _exactly_ why he couldn't fight with us. His main concern was protecting me, when he should be focused on the fight.

I was annoyed that Felix had bested me, and threw myself back into the fight. It took great effort to concentrate on my battle, when all my instincts were calling for me to protect Jasper. Dodging Felix's blow to the chest, I looked around his hulking form and found Jasper and Marcus locked in combat.

They were equally matched in their ferocity and raw power, but Jasper was faster. He dropped to the floor and swept Marcus' feet out from under him. With a strike like a cobra he pinned Marcus to the floor and poised his teeth directly over Marcus' neck.

"My kill," he snarled.

Marcus bucked and twisted, but he was unable to break Jasper's grip. Frustrated at his capitulation he called out to Jane.

"Jane!"

Jasper was instantly on the floor, writhing in pain. His jaw was locked, denying the howls of pain I knew were trying to break through his control.

Seeing him writhing on the floor changed something in me. I felt fury such as I had never felt before in my long existence. My vision took on a misty red haze, and I launched myself at Jane.

I saw from the corner of my eye Jasper leap lithely to his feet. The moment I struck Jane her focus had been broken. I could have stopped myself then, but she had hurt my Jasper. I was going to hurt her.

"Isabella!" Marcus shouted, but I paid him no mind. I would deal with him later.

Now, I was focused on Jane and the many pains I planned to inflict on her.

"I-I-Isabella, I didn't mean…" she babbled.

I hissed. "Quiet!"

I held her to the floor and lowered my face slowly to her. To an observer it would have looked as if I was about to kiss her, when I was really about to mark her pretty face for all to see. She had hurt Jasper. She deserved it.

My mouth was open, and I was about to sink my teeth into her cheek, when a hand touched my cheek.

"I'm okay, Isabella," Jasper said softly. "You don't need to hurt her."

My head turned and I looked at him. He was, of course, perfectly well. The only difference in his usual appearance was the slight tousling of his hair.

"You don't need to hurt her," he said again.

Slowly, very slowly, I released my grip on Jane and rose to my feet.

He encased me in his arms, and I drew deep breaths of his scent. His hand ran through my hair in soothing strokes, and I felt instantly calmer.

"I am so sorry," Jane said, her still present fear made her voice a little unsteady. "It was instinct."

Yes, it was. An instinctual reaction to obey her master's order.

I turned from Jasper's embrace and locked eyes with Marcus. He returned my gaze with stubborn determination.

"I apologize too, Jasper," he said. "I should not have ordered Jane to attack. It has been a long time since I was in physical combat, and I quite forgot myself."

"It is quite alright," Jasper said amiably. "I understand."

"It is most certainly _not _alright," I hissed. "It was cowardly and cruel."

"Isabella, I think you are overreacting." Marcus' tone was that of indulgence.

In a move so fast it would have blurred the vision of a human, I ran to him and struck him across the cheek.

"It was cruel," I snapped and marched from the room.

Jasper caught up with me as I reached my chambers. "It really is okay," he said quietly from the door.

I didn't turn to look at him. I grabbed a bag and began piling clothes inside.

"Why are you packing my clothes?" he asked. "Are we going somewhere?"

"Yes, we are. I am going to Alaska, and you are going home."

"Why?" There was obvious hurt in his tone.

I turned to face him at last. "Because this place is no good for you. Besides, we both know you are out of time here. Your coven will need you home for their cover story."

"I don't have to return," he said. "I can stay with you. I _want _to stay with you."

I cupped his cheek and pressed a soft kiss to his smooth lips. "I know you do, and you know why you can't."

"What about the Romanians? I want to fight them with you."

I stiffened instinctively. "You are _not _fighting with me."

"Why not? I proved myself today, didn't I?"

"You did. You are a fearsome and talented fighter, but also a liability. I could not concentrate on my own fight as I was too concerned with yours, and you were doing the same. I have to go to Romania; it is my job. Your job is to go to your coven and protect their story."

He scowled at me and I suspected he was about to argue. I decided distraction was the way to go. I slid a hand down his chest and cupped him through his jeans.

"Besides, if we are apart a while it will make out reunion so much sweeter."

He growled low in his throat.

"You are a dangerous creature, Isabella."

I smiled impishly. "Oh, I know."

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for reading. If you would like a teaser of the next chapter let me know in a review or a PM.<strong>

**Simaril x**


	19. Chapter 19: Homeward Bound

**Disclaimer: **All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Special thanks to Gredelina1, Augustmoon and Mary-Alice-Brandon-Cullen for pre-reading this. This was beta'd by Maxipoo1024 from Sparkly Red Pen.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Nineteen — Homeward Bound<strong>

**Jasper POV**

Isabella was a master of distraction, and fool that I was, I allowed it.

I was still in a daze at the steps our relationship had taken. I could reach out and touch her at any moment, and she never refused me. When she looked at me, her gaze was no longer clouded with concern or confusion; it was full of something warm and inviting. I told myself it was love, but as she still hadn't said the words, I could not be sure. What I could be sure of was my own feelings, and they were powerful. I loved her, though love did not feel like a strong enough word. Every thought I had was of her; everything else was secondary. She was my life.

The unconcealed fury I saw in her following Jane's attack was unrivaled by anything I had seen thus far. I was fairly angry myself. The pain Jane created was akin to the burn of the change, and to use it in revenge for being beaten was, just as Isabella said, cowardly and cruel―most of all cruel. I would have liked to speak with Marcus in private following the bout, but master manipulator that she was, Isabella ensured I was distracted until the moment of my departure.

She still had things to attend to in the castle, so she saw me to the airport and watched as the Volturi's private jet sped me away from her.

All through the journey to the airport, I maintained a stream of incentives for allowing me to fight alongside her, all to no avail. Her decision was made. In my less truculent moments, I saw the logic of her words, but whenever they came, I pushed them away. I didn't want logic; I wanted to protect.

She _had_ been distracted by my safety when we were fighting, as I had been distracted by hers. It was a surreal experience for me as I had never fought alongside anyone I cared about before. The last time I had fought in anything other than a friendly bout with Edward or Emmett was in the wars, and even then, the newborns fighting alongside me were no more than cannon fodder.

The thought of waiting at home while she went out to fight was abhorrent, though I had no solution. The last time I went against her wishes thinking I knew better, I almost trapped Edward and Alice into Aro's service. I had to put aside my own wants and needs and allow her to make the decision. She was the one with the greatest experience of us all; something that I was still not used to. I had always been the warrior among the family; I had been the one everyone looked to for guidance. Now, there was someone with even greater knowledge, and it was going to take a while to make the adjustment.

I used the length of the flight to prepare myself for what I would face at home. Edward and Alice were sure to be angry with me. They had every right. Worse than their anger would be Carlisle and Esme's hurt. I had effectively tried to leave their coven, and I had not spoken a word to them about it. At the time, I had been thinking only of Isabella. In retrospect, I should have at least offered them the comfort of a phone call. The only people I was not worried about facing were Emmett and Rosalie. Emmett would be amused by my actions, and Rosalie would just be annoyed at the disruption to _her_ life it would have caused. I could live with Emmett's amusement, and I could ignore Rosalie's annoyance.

There was an unexpected reception party waiting for me as the plane touched down in the small Port Angeles airport. Edward was standing on the tarmac glaring at me as I stepped off the plane.

"Nice ride," he said sardonically. "I guess being in the guard has its benefits."

"I've not joined the guard," I said. "Isabella refused me."

"Well that's nice for you. I'm glad one of you has some sense."

His anger was building, but I did not attempt to calm him; his anger was justified and I deserved the recriminations he was preparing for me.

"I am sorry, Edward." I forced all the sincerity into my tone I could muster. "I truly did not intend for you and Alice to become embroiled in my actions."

"Of course you didn't," he scoffed. "You didn't think of any of us when you made your dash for servitude. Not Esme, who cried for days as her family was being torn apart. Not Carlisle, who blamed himself for not creating a home you would wish to stay in. Not me, who had to hear the anguish in their thoughts, and certainly not Alice, who was devastated at the thought of you leaving us, and then worse when she had a vision on you with red eyes."

I knew the family would have been upset, but I did not expect Carlisle and Esme's reactions to be so extreme. I loved them, and could feel their love for me, but I had always felt somewhat separate from the family unit. I was apparently wrong.

Edward's fists clenched at his sides. I knew that the presence of humans was the only thing stopping him fighting me here.

"I am sorry," I said again. "I should have thought of you before I made the journey. In my defense, I thought I was doing it for Isabella."

He nodded curtly. "I know. I just wish you would have thought of us, too."

He started in the direction of the parking lot in silence. I followed and climbed into the passenger seat of the Volvo. He started the car and sped out of the lot and onto the road.

The drive back to Forks passed in silence, though as time passed so did Edward's anger. He was still upset with me, but for the most part it had been relegated to quiet grudging rather than outright rage. I was pleased with the change; I knew I was about to face a maelstrom of emotion from the family and his emotions would be a more pleasant climate to immerse myself in.

He pulled the Volvo to a halt in the garage and climbed from the car. I remained seated a moment longer, girding myself for what was about to come.

I felt a wave of amusement and looked up to see Edward leaning in through the open car door.

"They're going to be upset, but you've got sixty years of good behavior on your side. Let them get it out of their system and all will be well."

I smiled in spite of myself and climbed from the car.

The garage was set apart from the house so a had a short reprieve before facing the family, or so I thought. A small figure darted from the house and to our side. It was Alice. I expected her to greet Edward with the usual effusive embrace they usually shared—even after being apart a few minutes. Instead, she rushed to me and threw her arms around my neck. She embraced me for a moment and then released me. A steely glint came into her eyes, and then she raised a hand and struck me across the jaw. The sound of contact echoed against the house and eerie silence followed.

"I have been wanting to do that for days," she said with satisfaction. "It wasn't nearly as satisfying as I hoped."

"My apologies," I said sardonically, rubbing my jaw.

"You should apologize, you ass," she said irritably.

"And I do," I raised my eyes to Esme, Carlisle, Emmett, and Rose, who were making their way to us. "To all of you. I never meant to make you worry, and I never intended to put Alice and Edward at risk."

Esme hurried forward and embraced me. "We are just happy to have you home, dear."

"Are you home?" Carlisle asked. "I understand you offered your services to Aro."

I hung my head in mingled shame and embarrassment. Now I looked back on it, my choice to go to Volterra was mortifyingly foolish.

"I offered, and he accepted," I said quietly. "Isabella, on the other hand, refused."

Emmett snorted. "That's because she's awesome. Seriously, Jasper, what were you thinking? Did you honestly expect her to let you sign up with the fang brigade? Even I'm not that stupid."

Carlisle was amused by Emmett's words but made a supreme effort to hide his smile as he spoke to me.

"I admit I am glad to hear you will not be leaving us for Aro's service, but what will you and Isabella do now?"

"I don't know." I sighed heavily. "There is no possibility of my joining her there. She has made that clear, and in all honesty, it was not a good place for me to be."

"She can live with us here," Esme said happily. She was thrilled at the prospect of having a new family member. So thrilled she seemed to forget that this was Isabella we were talking about. Even without the fact that our quiet existence could not hope to satisfy her thirst for action, she would never be able to live here as a part of our family. It was not who she was as a person. She was made for drama and excitement, not high school and hunting trips.

Also the first time she spoke to Carlisle, our father and patriarch, she called him a boy.

Edward heard my thought and laughed.

"Yeah, I can't see that working out Esme," he said. "Isabella is not really made for the quiet life."

"Then what will they do?" she asked.

"For now, we are going to stay as we are," I said heavily. "Isabella will maintain her role in Volterra, and I shall live here. Once my latest pass through high school is complete, we can readdress the question. If she can get away from the city, I would like to travel with her a while."

"You're going to leave us?" Esme asked, clapping a hand to her chest.

I loved Esme, I truly did, but her gift for loving wholeheartedly sometimes lent itself to these dramatic displays which embarrassed me.

"Not permanently. As I said, I would like to travel with her. I like to think we can split our time between both of our homes and our travels in an arrangement that will satisfy us all." _Most especially, Isabella. _

Though I did not voice my thoughts, Edward, naturally, heard it anyway. He nodded discreetly. He understood the pull of mating and the desire to make your mate happy. It was what had led me to Volterra in the first place.

Alice was toeing the ground bad-temperedly, creating a deep divot. I knew I should speak with her alone; my choice to travel with Isabella would affect her more than any of the family.

"I have not hunted for a while," I lied—I had hunted only days ago with Isabella.

"Would anyone like to join me for a short hunt? Alice?"

She raised her eyes slowly and looked me. Edward gave her hand a brief squeeze in response to a thought, and she nodded.

"Okay."

We ran through the garden and into the depths of the forest. The game in the area surrounding our house consisted mainly of deer and other small woodland creatures, but since feeding was not the real purpose of this trip, we did not travel far.

Coming to a halt at the far boundary of our land, we scaled a tree and sat on opposing branches.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I asked.

She opened her mouth once, twice, before speaking, and then her words came out in a rush. "I don't want you to go away. We have been together sixty years, I don't want to be apart. It's not fair."

Her final statement was a little childish. She realized it and lowered her eyes, embarrassed.

"I don't particularly want to be apart from any of you," I said, "but there is no other solution. Isabella and I have to be together and she could never be happy living here with us."

"She could try," she said obstinately. "It hardly seems fair that you have to give up everything to be with her. What has she given up for you?"

I didn't like Alice's tone or the way she was speaking about Isabella. It was that irritation that made me speak a little harsher than I would have otherwise.

"She has given up far more than you can imagine, Alice. Because of my actions and your arrival in Volterra, she has been forced to give up the anonymity and freedoms she had retained for over a millennia."

Alice looked at me blankly. I explained the shift in power that had occurred and Isabella's new role as a leader in the coven.

"Your mate is a ruler?" she gasped.

"Isabella is, yes." I did not like her being referred to as _my mate, _despite the fact I had been waiting for months to use the title myself; it seemed too formal a name for what we shared.

"Wow."

"Indeed. So you see, Isabella has already given up more than I ever wanted for her. I do not wish for her to sacrifice more. Besides, it is not forever and not yet. I still have two years of schooling left to get through."

"You know Carlisle would…" Her nose crinkled in disgust. "Jasper, what on earth is that smell?"

A foul reek reached us. It was a combination of wet dog and rotting garbage. The olfactory equivalent of a slap in the face. My instincts were on alert immediately as the sound of pounding footfalls reached us.

"Up!" I shouted. "Get higher."

In nimble movements Alice scaled the tree and perched at the very top. I rose a little higher, but kept myself angled ready for attack. Whatever was coming it was fast and large.

I braced myself and waited.

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for reading. If you would like a teaser of the next chapter let me know in a review or a PM.<strong>

**Simaril x**


	20. Chapter 20: Influence

**Disclaimer: **All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Special thanks to Gredelina1, Augustmoon and Mary-Alice-Brandon-Cullen for pre-reading this. This was beta'd by Maxipoo1024 from Sparkly Red Pen.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Twenty - Influence <strong>

** Jasper POV**

It burst through the trees with heavy footfalls and panting breaths. A wolf, though not like any wolf I had ever seen before. The thick bands of muscle and raw power with which it moved showed me it was far more dangerous that its canine equivalent. It had to be one of the shapeshifters Carlisle made a treaty with.

In spite of myself, I moved down the tree hoping to get a closer look.

"Jasper!" Alice hissed. "What are you doing?"

"I don't know," I said honestly. I wanted to get a closer look, but that should not have overpowered my caution. I was always more careful than any of the family, now I was throwing caution to the wind for the sake of curiosity.

Alice's question caught the attention of the wolf as clearly as it had mine. It raised its huge head, and its dark hazel eyes fixed on me with a look of open hunger. I considered the beast as it considered us.

The wolf began to rake the trunk of the tree with its enormous claws, gouging deep holes in the bark. Our branches shuddered with each swipe of a paw.

"We need to get out of here." My voice was too low for human to hear, but the wolf clearly had enhanced senses as well as size. It stared up at me with its lips pulled over its teeth in a harsh snarl.

"Obviously." Alice rolled her eyes. She balanced precariously on the very tips of her toes and then launched herself into the air. She spun through the air and landed in an oak twenty feet away from me.

The wolf snarled as she landed and started towards her, only to freeze halfway between her tree and mine. It was torn with indecision.

"What are you waiting for?" Alice called to me.

"Nothing," I mumbled and scaled the tree to the branch she had launched herself from.

In truth, what I was waiting for was the wolf to attack. I wanted to fight it. I was never one to relish the thrill of the battle. When I was in Maria's coven, the fight was a necessary part of our life. I had never wanted to fight the way I did now.

She moved aside to allow me room as I braced myself for the jump. I leaped from the tree and to her side. The wolf was no longer torn; it snarled and ran for us. The oak we had landed in was much older and larger than the fir we had been in; the trunk was wide and strong. Unfortunately for us, the wolf seemed to come to the same conclusion. Its forepaws gripped the tree as if it was embracing it; they struggled to find purchase on the back and then its rear legs did the same. It was climbing the tree.

"Go!" I ordered Alice. "Now."

My urge to fight was overpowered by my urge to protect. I watched Alice's every move as she prepared to jump and then launched herself through the air to a nearby tree. The wolf dropped down to the ground again and raced to her tree. I crouched and then jumped into the next tree. The wolf watched with harsh snarls slipping past its teeth. I could clearly imagine its thoughts praying for one of us to fall. We leaped from tree to tree, making our laborious way back to our property and the added protection of our family.

We were halfway home, when two things happened at once. A wolf howled to the west and Edward's voice came from the east. "Alice!"

The wolf bounded away in the direction of his voice and Alice screamed.

"Edward! Get in the tree! Climb the tree!"

Her fear was paramount. She raced ahead of me, jumping through the trees with such speed I couldn't keep up.

"Alice!" I felt Edward's relief and knew that she had reached him.

With my last bound, I spotted Edward and Alice at the top of a large spruce. The wolf was circling the trunk of their tree, snarling and growling the whole time. Edward was snarling down at it, his fury barely controlled. His mate was at risk, and his every instinct was driving him to protect her.

The wolf raised onto its hind legs again and attempted to scale the tree. It was not nearly strong enough to withstand the grip of the wolf's enormous claws. I could see them gouging into the bark and knew it was only a matter of time before the tree would be brought down and Edward and Alice with it.

"Keep going!" I shouted.

The howls from the west were growing closer. There was at least one more wolf coming after us, possibly more. I was torn. Now Edward was here to protect Alice, I was free to engage with the wolf. I could give in to my need and find the fulfillment I knew the fight would give me.

"Jasper, no!" Edward shouted. "We have a treaty."

The wolf didn't seem concerned with a treaty so why should I be?

"Because we don't know how many there are," Edward replied to my thought. "I swear, Jasper, if you put Alice at risk, I will kill you."

The question of whether to fight the wolf or not became a moot point. It was running between my tree and Edward and Alice's when suddenly it dropped to the ground like a puppet whose strings had been cut. Low whines and growls slipped from its throat, but it made to move to regain its feet.

"Now, Jasper!" Alice shouted as she jumped to the next tree.

I followed mechanically, my focus still on wolf and the strange way it had acted. One moment it was desperate to attack us, and the next it was flat on the ground as if held by an invisible force. It had ceased fighting, and I had ceased wanting to. Its docile stance had stolen the urge to fight from me too.

However, I couldn't help but feel a coward as I ran away. Isabella would never run away.

xXx

We were almost back at the house when we met Carlisle, Emmett, and Rosalie, running towards us.

"What has happened?" Carlisle asked, seeing our still tense expressions.

"Wolf," Alice said abruptly. "Jasper and I were in the woods, and we were set upon by a giant wolf."

"Is anyone hurt?" Carlisle asked, scanning our forms for signs of injury.

We shook our heads. Together we made our way back to the house and to Esme who was waiting anxiously for us at the door. We hurried through another explanation of what had happened to us for her benefit and reassured her that we were fine.

"It was one of the Quileute shape-shifters," Edward said.

Esme's hand flew to her chest. "I thought the line had died out?"

"So did we" Edward said. "But evidently we were wrong. There was at least one more. Carlisle, it was the strangest thing, I could hear two distinctly different thought trains in the wolf's mind. Do you think it could be some kind of mental illness?"

"It is possible," Carlisle said thoughtfully. "I imagine the stress of their phasing for the first time would be enough to fracture a mind."

"That's interesting and all, but why would they break the treaty?" Emmett asked impatiently. He was disappointed he hadn't been there to face the wolf, and it made him short tempered.

"Maybe they don't know about it," Rosalie said. "It's been decades since we saw the last pack. Perhaps the legends have died out."

Edward shook his head. "The confusion of thoughts made it hard to understand what he was thinking, but they definitely know about the treaty as one of the voices kept repeating the word…" He clapped a hand to his forehead. "Edward, you fool. It wasn't two thoughts, it was two voices, they were communicating."

I didn't like the sound of that. If they could read our minds, they would have a definite advantage in a fight.

"We are not fighting them, Jasper," Edward said firmly.

"Of course we aren't," Carlisle said, his smooth brow creased in confusion. "We have a treaty; whatever happened today is irrelevant to that. We are not going to start a war with innocent people. There is no need. We will have to speak with them to confirm the treaty, of course, but I want no conflict between us."

"You might want to tell Jasper that," Edward said bitterly. "He was all set to fight to the death when I caught up with them."

"Don't be dramatic, Edward," I scoffed. "I wasn't going to fight to the death. I was just angry that it had attacked without provocation. I wouldn't have killed it." At least I didn't think I would have. What I had exactly been thinking at the time was a little hazy now. All I could be certain of was that I wanted the fight, thirsted for it even, but Alice's safety was more important.

"And thank god for it," Edward said, again following my thoughts and replying to unspoken words. It was a little irritating to have my mind rifled through like this. I had enjoyed the privacy of my own mind while I had been in Volterra.

"Then perhaps it was the right place for you after all!" he snapped.

"Will you please stay out of my mind!" I was finally driven past endurance.

"Will you please speak so we can all understand," Emmett said, in the same irritated tone I had used. "What is the best place for Jasper?"

"Nowhere," I said shrugging off his question. "We are getting off track. What matters here is the wolf that tried to attack us and whether it is going to happen again."

"Quite right," Carlisle said. "Please tell us exactly what happened.

Alice and I gave them a detailed account of what had happened, leaving nothing out.

"How did you know what was happening?" I asked Edward. "You were too far away to have heard anything."

"I felt it, or rather I felt Alice," he said, drawing blank gazes from us all. "I was just reading, and I felt a sudden thrill of fear which I knew was not my own. Naturally, I followed your trail, and that was when I heard the wolf."

"The mating connection warned you of danger," Carlisle said, a fanatical gleam in his eye. "This is fascinating. I have heard of such things, but never believed." His smile faded slightly. "I have never felt it with Esme."

I thought I knew why. Esme had never been endangered the way Alice had today. From what I understood of their life, the closest the family had come to a dangerous situation was when they met the first shape-shifters before Alice and I joined the family. Then, it had been a lone wolf and Emmett had incapacitated it while Carlisle explained the differences in our family to other vampires. No real danger there.

I explained my theory and both he and Esme looked reassured. I didn't understand their doubt. I had never felt a love so strong as between Carlisle and Esme.

"I think I understand your desire to fight, too," Carlisle said. "As vampires, change is rare for us. One of the only things that can cause a shift in our personalities is mating. It happened to us all as we mated. We adapt to our partner. Edward was, forgive me for saying it, son, a rather dour man before he mated with Alice. Her vibrant personality altered his outlook on life and made him a happier person. Rosalie went through the same thing when she met Emmett. We are changed as people."

"That would make sense," Esme said. "From what Eleazar told us of Isabella, she is not one to shirk a fight. Her thirst for action has affected you."

Emmett snorted. "I wonder what she has taken from him. Do you think she is strolling around Volterra holding doors open for people and chatting with humans?"

"I do not chat with humans," I said scathingly. "And holding doors open is the polite thing to do. I am a gentleman, not a Neanderthal like some I could mention."

Rosalie snorted. "Yep, and thanks to this new mating thing, so is Isabella, now."

"It would certainly be interesting to see how it has affected her," Carlisle said.

I recognized the wistful expression and knew he was desperate for a chance to examine Isabella.

He needed to learn that people were not for studying.

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for reading. If you would like a teaser of the next chapter let me know in a review or a PM.<strong>

**Simaril x**


	21. Chapter 21: Words With Friends

**Disclaimer: **All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Special thanks to Gredelina1, Augustmoon and Mary-Alice-Brandon-Cullen for pre-reading this. This was beta'd by Maxipoo1024 from Sparkly Red Pen.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Twenty-One —Words With Friends<strong>

**Isabella POV**

I watched the jet taking Jasper away until it vanished into the clouds. I felt a strange sense of emptiness without him. It was as if part of me had gone away too. I shrugged off these airy thoughts and made my way home.

I recognized a new scent in the air as I made my way through the halls of the castle. Demetri was home. I smiled in spite of myself. I had not spoken to him properly since I returned home, and I was eager for news of the Romanians. Perhaps, if the news was good, I could settle the threat there before I went to see Eleazar. Though what would happen after that, I did not know. I needed Aro's counsel before I made any fixed decisions.

I made my way straight to my chamber and donned my robe. I stared at my reflection in the mirror and saw my eyes were still the shade of gold that Jasper so prized. In one of our quiet moments, he told me more of his life and the battle he had fought to earn those eyes. I had been lucky that I had been abstaining from feeding for a long time before I discovered the possibility of feeding from animals. There was never a need for me to learn control, as I already had it mastered. My new diet had given me a new peace, not a new war to wage as it had him. My poor Jasper, he had suffered so. With a small pang of regret, I changed my eyes to crimson.

When I reached the throne room, Demetri was there with the rest of his hunting party. No one was talking. It seemed that they were waiting for my arrival.

I brushed Demetri's arm as I passed on my way to stand between Caius and Aro's thrones. It was the briefest contact, but it made him smile.

"Ahh, Isabella, we have been waiting anxiously for your return," Aro said. "I trust Jasper's departure went without a hitch?"

"He is on his way home now," I said, making a supreme effort not to show how sad that made me.

Caius seemed to glean some satisfaction from my words or actions as he smiled at me.

"Good, good. Now we are all assembled, Demetri, if you would oblige." Aro held out a hand. He had apparently refrained from reading Demetri before my return. I was surprised and a little gratified at this new show of respect. He was treating me as he would his brothers: as a leader.

Demetri held out a hand, and Aro bowed his head over their clasped hands for a long moment as he searched through the most recent images then sighing, he raised his eyes to mine.

"Maria has a friend."

Maria. The vampire that created Jasper. I felt a strange combination of feelings towards her. Part of me was grateful for her existence as she had led Jasper to this life and to me, and the other part of me hated her for it. She had been the one to take his feeble human body and make it mighty. She had tasted his blood and witnessed his tears. The bond between a sire and vampire was a lasting tie, and I did not like that she could share that with him. If chance presented itself in the coming battle, I would end her. Perhaps even if it didn't, I could make a special effort to destroy her.

Not seeing the reaction in me he had hoped for Aro continued. "There is another mature female among the newborns. There is something strange about her; Demetri was unable to latch onto her trail."

My eyebrows rose. "A shield?"

"It seems so."

There were many forms of shield. Renata and Afton's gifts were classed as shields, though theirs did not work like mine. Demetri's inability to catch the tenor of her mind made it seem that her's was a mental protection like mine. Though, whether she was able to use it to siphon a gift from another was unknown. I had never known another like me, and I didn't much like it. Grandiose thoughts of being unique aside, I didn't know who would triumph if we were pitted against one another. It was disconcerting.

Feeling none of my trepidation, others among the guard were placing bets quietly, wagering on how long it would take me to beat this unknown female. Their faith in me was reassuring, but not appropriate for the situation.

"This is our castle, not a gambling house," I said loudly. "Remember where you are."

Their whispers died off at once, and they adopted remorseful expressions. Aro chuckled at this new display of my influence among them.

"So, we know we have two mature vampires to deal with, along with Stefan and Vladimir," I said. "Any more?"

"The newborn numbers have reached forty-five," Demetri said. "And they are more controlled than I am used to seeing."

Controlled newborns were a surprise but not a problem. Though it would not be so easy to deal with them as it was the armies of the southern conflicts, it would not be impossible. We had Jane and Alec on our side after all. With them and myself, we would manage just fine.

"Prepare to leave in one week," Aro said loftily, and then he dismissed the guard.

xXx

"I am not going to apologize," Aro said boldly. "Not when I know I did the right thing."

"That's fine, I wouldn't accept an apology from you, not when I know it is insincere. However, I will warn you against hiding something so important from me again."

He sighed with relief and stepped forward to embrace me. "I have missed you, Isabella. It is good to have you home."

We were in the solarium. In my absence, construction had been completed, and I was taking the opportunity to enjoy the sun's warming rays on my skin. I had tempted Aro from the throne room under the guise of a walk together, but in truth I wanted his advice on what to do next.

"Aro."

"Yes, dear Isabella."

"What do I do?" I asked plaintively.

"Are you still doubting your relationship with Jasper? Because Marcus said it is a strong mating bond. There is no going back now."

"No, it's not that. I know who and what Jasper is now. I mean in the greater sense. He cannot live with me here. The place would destroy him, and he has an obligation to his coven; he cannot disappear without drawing attention to their cover story."

That was a pretty feeble excuse and I knew it. More than anything I wanted to protect him from the life of my coven. It really would destroy him.

"And you cannot join him there." It was not a question but a statement.

"Not now. I have taken the role as leader," I said bitterly. Though I accepted my situation, I was not happy about my change in circumstances.

"Why not?" he asked. "You seem to think that by taking on this role you are binding yourself when in fact, you will have more freedom now than before. You are a leader Isabella; you do not answer to anyone." He laughed lightly. "Not that you ever did really."

That was true. While I refused the role of leader, I took advantage of the indulgences offered to me. No other guard could speak so freely with the brothers or take the time away from the city that I did. The real problem here was by becoming a leader, I had sacrificed my anonymity. Soon, much sooner than I would like, news would spread of my position, and I would lose the easy relationship I had with the nomads and covens I had met over my lifetime of travels.

"That is an unfortunate price of who you are," Aro said when I explained my troubles. "I myself have not left the castle in almost a century, not since we last faced the Romanians machinations. You, however, need not fear attack. If anyone is foolish enough to challenge you, you are more than able to defend yourself."

I had believed so too until I was injured by the female. Now I was not so sure.

My previous plan to arrange what Jasper called a custody agreement was not going to work, though, which left me one viable option… joining his coven. I barely restrained a shudder at the thought.

I pushed away that upsetting thought and returned my attention to my immediate problem. How I was going to manage my relationship with Jasper? I had to make a decision about what to do next. Perhaps cowardly, I decided to allow myself more time before making my decision. I would deal with the Romanians, and then I would make my choice.

"There are things I need to do before we face the Romanians," I said, effectively changing the subject. "I should like to see Eleazar again; there are things that need to be discussed."

"Don't be too hard on him. He was only doing what we asked of him, and he did refuse to lie to you. He said he would tell you everything if you asked."

It was the same vow I made for the Denali sisters. Now I was on the receiving end of the promise I realized just how cowardly it was. It switched all responsibility from myself to them. How were they to know to ask when I did all I could to conceal the truth from them? Since I met Jasper, I seemed to be constantly facing uncomfortable truths I would rather leave unknown. I knew mating meant to change, but I didn't think I would be forced to continue to change myself after that happened.

"Why don't you go to Alaska and see how things progress from there," he suggested. "We will, of course, need you for the destruction of the Romanian newborns, but after that we can perhaps arrange something more fitting for your new station."

I nodded carefully. I knew I was merely delaying the moment of decision, but for now I was content with that.

I embraced Aro once more and made my way back to the castle.

"Oh, Isabella," he called after me. "Will you need a throne?"

I turned back to him and scowled. "No thank you."

xXx

There was no one at home when I arrived at Eleazar's house, so I settled in the lounge and prepared myself for a long wait.

I was not left alone long before Eleazar and Carmen returned. The sight of Eleazar's ecstatic face almost made me feel guilty for my dramatic exit that last time I was there. Only almost. He had earned my anger and the drama.

"Isabella," Carmen said brightly. "This is a most welcome surprise."

Eleazar remained silent, looking torn. It was as if he wanted to embrace me but was too wary of my reaction. It was right that he was wary; I was still very angry with him.

"It is good to see you, Carmen," I said. "I hope you won't mind me stealing away Eleazar for a brief time."

"As long as you return him to me in one piece," she said, a note of seriousness in her tone.

I smiled widely. "I promise."

I walked out through the front door and felt Eleazar following me. I didn't know where Tanya and her sisters were, but I wanted our conversation to be private, so I made my way to the lake at the border of the park Eleazar resided in.

I sat myself on a fallen tree and waited for him to join me. He hesitated for a brief moment and then sat beside me. I turned sideways so I could look him in the eye and begin the conversation that was three months overdue.

"You betrayed me," I said coolly.

"I know, and I regret it more than you can ever know, but I promise you I believed I was acting in your best interests."

"How can concealing something so important from me be in my best interests?" I asked.

"I believed you deserved the joy mating brings," he said. "Jasper is a good man. He will make you happy."

He already did, but I was not about to admit that to Eleazar.

"You value Jasper as a friend, yes?"

He nodded. "As I do all of the Cullens. They are good people."

I did not disagree. The little I had seen of them supported his statement. I liked them immensely, with the exception of the blonde, of course; she was a petty creature whose vanity rivaled my own.

"So why did you risk Jasper like this?" I asked.

"Risk? Isabella, nothing is going to happen to you," he said patiently.

I sighed heavily. Everyone seemed to think of me as something invincible, but I was not. I had been hurt by an ordinary nomad with no exceptional ability for fighting.

I rolled up my sleeve and showed him the scar. He looked shocked but quickly schooled his features into a calm expression.

"How did that happen?" he asked.

"I was tracking a troublesome nomad, and when I was fighting them this happened."

"Them? How many were there?"

"Ten newborns, and the nomad."

To my surprise he laughed. "Isabella, you were fighting eleven vampires alone, and you were hurt. This is not some portend of doom. It is simply poor planning. I'm amazed you were not hurt more."

"Okay, so this injury was to be expected," I admitted. "But what about the next time I am hurt?"

"There is no reason you will be hurt," he said, reaching out a tentative hand and squeezing my hand. "You are strong, Isabella, as is Jasper, if you even need to fight at all."

It was almost the exact same thing Aro had said. I may not need to go into open combat again, but without the fight I did not know who I was.

"I have just returned from visiting with the Cullens," he said. "Edward and Alice told me you were forced to oppose Aro again. There must have been consequences for that."

"There were," I said heavily. "It happened before the whole guard. I'm sure you can see the significance of that."

"You are a leader." It was not a question, so I felt no need to confirm what he said. "How do you feel about that?"

"I am surprised I managed to stay as I was for so long."

He nodded. "It was only a matter of time. We all knew that, even when I was among the guard."

I huffed in frustration. "It doesn't mean I have to like it."

He was silent for a long time, considering his words carefully. "I am younger than you in years, Isabella, but I had more years as a human before my change. Please allow me a moment of forwardness."

I nodded reluctantly.

"Life is not fair," he said simply. "I know how long you have evaded this fate, both the mating and your new position, but it was never really your choice to make. You were always fated to be with Jasper, and you were always fated to be a leader."

"Yes, because of Marcus and–"

"No, Isabella, not because of Marcus, he may have enabled it, but it would have happened eventually anyway. It is just who you are. You were made to lead, just as you were made to love. It is time you stopped denying yourself."

My immediate reaction was anger. I got to my feet, prepared to run from him and his ill-founded words, but his knowing smile brought me to a halt. It was what he expected me to do. Of course it was; I always ran when things became too much. I discovered Marcus' true feelings for me so I ran and stayed away for three decades. When I discovered the mating, I ran from Jasper. And if I was being honest, all my travels and time away from the coven was running too.

It was an uncomfortable sensation being forced to recognize these flaws to my character. I did not like it one bit.

Slowly, I sat down beside Eleazar again and smiled. "You are far wiser than I ever gave you credit for, old friend."

"I have my moments. Does this mean you are not going to run from me again?"

"I does. In fact I want to test your new-found wisdom a little further."

He smiled and nodded for me to continue.

"What do I do next, Eleazar? I need to be with Jasper, and he cannot reside with me in Volterra."

His brow creased in confusion. "Why are you asking me this when you already know the answer?" he asked.

The simple answer was that I needed someone else to tell me what I already knew in my heart but was unwilling to accept.

If Jasper could not live with me and my coven, I would need to join him with his coven.

My smile disappeared as the weighty truth settled over me.

"Fine," I said finally. "But I want it to be clear now, if the doctor thinks I am going to high school he is in for a horrid surprise."

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading. If you would like a teaser of the next chapter let me know in a review or a PM.<strong>

**Simaril x**


	22. Chapter 22: Rescue

**Disclaimer: **All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Special thanks to Gredelina1, Augustmoon and Mary-Alice-Brandon-Cullen for pre-reading this. This was beta'd by Maxipoo1024 from Sparkly Red Pen.**

* * *

><p><strong> Chapter Twenty-Two — Rescue <strong>

**Jasper POV**

After the excitement of Volterra, and then the encounter with the wolf, returning to high school was harder than ever. The mindless tedium tormented me. After spending a tedious morning attending classes, I wondered how I managed this life for five decades.

My day was exceptionally dull until the lunch period. I met my siblings in the cafeteria, as was usual, only to find I had a surprise waiting for me. As I gazed out of the window, attempting to ignore the concentrated scent of human blood pulsing through the student population's veins, and the foul reek of the food they were shoveling down, I spotted something in the parking lot that made my heart leap. A familiar shiny black motorcycle straddled by a very familiar figure. She pulled off her helmet and shook out her waves of mahogany hair. Isabella.

She smiled widely as she saw me and beckoned me over with a wave of her hand.

"Jasper, what are you looking… oh!" Alice said, catching sight of Isabella. "What is she doing here?"

"Rescuing me from tedium," I said, pushing away my tray and getting to my feet.

"You can't just leave," Rosalie hissed. "We still have classes."

Isabella snorted delicately. "Come with me now or lose me forever," she said loudly.

"Sorry, Rose," I said, no hint of regret in my tone. "It is the pull of mating. It cannot be denied."

Emmett laughed loudly, drawing the eyes of the students in the seats closest to us. "Go get your girl, Jasper. We'll say you were sick and had to leave early."

I clapped a hand on his shoulder. "You are the very best brother I could ask for."

Edward frowned, but I made no effort to amend my words. We were still not on good terms.

Isabella's smile became dazzling as I approached her. "I was worried you wouldn't come. I know how dedicated you are to your human act," she teased.

"The charade means nothing when there is a beautiful woman waiting for me," I said smoothly.

"Does this happen a lot then? Beautiful women coming to rescue you."

I smiled. I liked that she was showing me a lighter side of her personality. "Once a week or so."

She laughed and the sound warmed my heart.

I climbed onto the bike behind her and wrapped my arms around her waist. Touching her sent a thrill of anticipation through my veins. It was as if our bodies were rejoicing at the reunion.

She gunned the engine, waved to my siblings through the window of the cafeteria, and pulled out of the parking lot.

"So where are we going?" My voice was muffled slightly by the helmet I was forced to wear, but naturally she heard it clearly anyway.

"I noticed we are close to the coast," she replied. "Are there any jump worthy cliffs here?"

"Take the next right and keep going."

We rode for twenty minutes before reaching the cliffs I directed her to. The best cliffs here were located within the La Push territory, but there were still some outside of their borders for us to enjoy. The road gave way to a rough trail and she slowed and pulled to a stop.

We climbed from the bike, and I pulled her into my arms. Our height difference meant that her head barely reached my chin. She nuzzled into my neck, and I pressed a kiss to her sweet smelling hair. She squeezed me a little tighter and then released me.

She leaned forward to press a chaste kiss to my cheek. "Hello, Jasper."

"Hello, Isabella."

Our hands linked, we walked at a steady human pace to the cliffs. Her breath caught as she looked out over the Pacific; it was a beautiful sight.

"Shall we dive?"

"Actually, I think I would rather talk," she said.

As much as I enjoyed cliff diving with Isabella, I would rather talk, too. We had been apart too long for my liking, and I wanted to catch up on all she had been doing.

I sank to the ground and sat with my legs crossed. She sat opposite me without comment. I expected at least one pointed remark about human behavior, but there were none.

"Have you been doing anything interesting other than suffering through the tedium of high school?" she asked.

"I had an encounter with a werewolf," I said.

"You did?" she said, excitement coming from her in waves. "A genuine child of the moon?"

"Unfortunately not. It was one of the shape-shifters that live on a nearby reservation." I said a little sadly. A fight with a child of the moon would have been far more of a challenge.

"Oh well, we can't have it all in life I suppose," she said commiseratingly. "Tell me all about it."

I explained how Alice and I had been set upon by the idiotic wolf and how our treaty — and Edward's interference — had stopped me from fighting it.

She shook her head. "What a waste. Would you like me to kill it for you?"

I laughed. She offered it in the same way a human would a bouquet. To her, annihilating a werewolf was a show of affection.

"No, thank you. Carlisle would be very upset if you did. Besides, it isn't alone. There is at least one other wolf in their pack."

"Two wolves?" She scoffed. "I think we could manage that."

"I'm sure we could, but again, Carlisle would be very upset. We have a treaty with them, and he is dedicated to maintaining it. They are almost human after all."

She rolled her eyes, her distaste for humans coming to the fore again. I sometimes forgot the differences in our outlook on humanity. It didn't bother me that she held them in so little regard. It was understandable given her experiences of the human psyche.

"What have you been doing?" I asked. "Have you been to Romania yet?"

I hoped she had. It would mean she could stay here with me longer, and I could stop worrying about her safety fighting the newborns.

"Unfortunately not. Demetri has returned, though, so we are going to be leaving in a few days. I must admit I am looking forward to the fight, especially the opportunity to meet your sire in person."

There was more to that statement than she was saying. It made me a little uneasy.

"Isabella, are you planning to kill Maria?"

"Of course." She said it as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "She has broken the rules."

Technically she hadn't. The rule against newborn armies was limited to keeping the secret. From what I understood the Romanians had kept their army under control. I had been following the news from the area to ensure it.

"Do you have to?" I asked. "Don't misunderstand me. I hold no affection for Maria, but she was once a friend. I wouldn't like to see her dead."

She was silent for an exceptionally long time as she considered my words. "Very well. I shall not kill her unless it is necessary, but if another among the guard judges her to be a threat, I shall not stop them killing her for me."

It was the closest I was going to get to ensuring Maria's safety. I did not fully understand why it concerned me. It was true I held no affection for her. Before I left her coven she had been planning to kill me—that alone should have severed any tie between us—but I felt a certain debt to her. She had changed me and therefore led me to Isabella.

xXx

We stayed out at the cliff top until the sky was alight with stars. I was unsurprised to find that Isabella was knowledgeable about the constellations. To live a millennia must have given her endless time to learn. I was content to lie back on the ground and listen to her as she told me the stories of the stars. Just the sound of her voice was enough to keep me enthralled.

When the sun began to creep into the sky I voiced the question that had been teasing my mind all night.

"How long are you here for, Isabella?"

"Unfortunately, not as long as I would wish. I shall have to fly back to Volterra today. We will be leaving for Romania soon, and there are preparations to be made. The secondary guard should be gathered by now, and we will need to dedicate some time to working with them?"

"The secondary guard?" I had only ever heard of the twelve guards that I had met when in the city. The news that there were more was a shock.

"Yes, we have another twenty vampires that we can call upon for situations such as these. The guard you met are what we call the Elite. They reside in the city at all times and work as a permanent bodyguard. The other guards live as nomads most of the year and only come to us to assist when required."

"And how do you become a part of this secondary guard?" I asked, a plan forming in my mind.

"Usually by being pardoned a crime of association. They are people we have dealt with before and in repayment of their debt they offer their services to us."

"A crime of association?"

"The nomad I destroyed is a prime example. She was guilty by association of her mate's crimes, but she was not present when Demetri brought him to us. Her gift for self preservation worked to overpower their bond. Had she not been foolish enough to create those newborns she would have been invited to join us."

"So do you have to be pardoned to offer your services?" I asked. "Or can I make an offer now?"

It seemed the perfect solution. I would be able to live among my family yet I could also have a part of Isabella's life in Volterra.

"You may offer, but I will refuse," she said, a smile dancing at the corners of her mouth. "You forget that we cannot fight together."

"We would not need to," I said. "I can fight and you can reside in the castle as a leader should."

She scoffed. "You expect me to allow you all the fun? I don't think so."

I was more disappointed than I should have been by her refusal. I had never relished the fight of the wars and was glad to join the peaceful life of the Cullens when Alice and I found them. Yet now I was thirsting for action, and according to Carlisle, it was because of her.

"Besides," she continued, "I don't think I shall need to sit in the castle much longer."

"You won't?"

I didn't think her ascension to leader could be so easily refused. It didn't seem that way when we had spoken of it in Volterra.

"I spoke to Aro and we discussed my next step; he believes I shall have more freedom now than ever before."

"What does that mean for us?" I asked.

"Well I was hoping there would be room for another in your coven. Close your mouth, dear."

I was gaping at her. I never thought this was an option for her. My quiet life could never hope to satisfy her.

"You see, I spoke to Eleazar and he simplified things for me. I was thinking I could stay with you while you finish your time in high school and then we could travel together for a while. What do you think?"

"I think you are the most marvelous woman I have ever met, but I also think I cannot allow you to do this."

A small frown creased her brow. "Do you not want me?" she asked, definite hurt in her tone.

"I want you more that you can ever know, but I don't think my life is going to make you happy."

She was quiet for an exceptionally long time, then she shook her head as if casting away an upsetting thought.

"It is not the right life for me, but I will manage it for a while. I shall have you and that will make it bearable. It will only be—"

Her words cut off as I pulled her to me and crashed my lips against hers in a fierce kiss. I was overwhelmed with love for her. This was a huge sacrifice on her part, and the fact she would make it for me was a demonstration of her love, so great I could never hope to return it.

"I love you, Isabella. I love you so very much."

She smiled and pressed a kiss to my lips. "You are very special to me."

I was beginning to understand that while she could not say the three words I yearned for, this was her own way of saying them.

"Though I will _not_ be attending high school with you," she said firmly.

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for reading. If you would like a teaser of the next chapter let me know in a review or a PM.<strong>

**Simaril x**


	23. Chapter 23:Preparations

**Disclaimer: **All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Special thanks to Gredelina1, Augustmoon and Mary-Alice-Brandon-Cullen for pre-reading this. This was beta'd by Maxipoo1024 from Sparkly Red Pen.**

* * *

><p><strong>~ Chapter Twenty-Three — Preparations ~<strong>

**Isabella POV**

I was pleased to learn the secondary guard were not only assembled but also prepared when I arrived home. No sooner than I arrived, I turned around again and made the journey back to the airport.

As we flew through the skies to Romania, I thought over my parting with Jasper. I had to hide my excitement at the oncoming fight in the face of his fear. He was scared and desperate as he could not fight with me; not because he was thirsting for the action, but because he could not protect me. I had a moment's hesitation in which I considered the possibility of bowing out of the fight and staying with him but duty overcame it. I could not leave others to fight for me; it was not who I was. As we parted, he implored me to be safe and to hurry back to him. I would.

As the plane began to descend, I felt the stirrings of excitement rise up in me. This was going to be positively thrilling. I could see the same excitement in Caius. His expression remained disinterested, but there was a gleam in his eyes that belied his true feelings. This was where we excelled. Aro on the other hand seemed resolutely calm. He did not relish the battle the way we did; his pleasures were to be found in the day to day execution of his power. Marcus had stayed behind in the castle, but I knew well how he would look if he was here: uncomfortable and fearful. He was not one for the action.

We landed at the airport in Satu Mare and hired cars to get us out of the city unobtrusively. Because of the amount of humans close by, we had to wear civilian clothes for most of the journey. The Romanians' lair was located deep within the Carpathian mountains. Only when we got to the deep forest area surrounding the mountains were we able to leave the vehicles behind and to don our cloaks.

I felt the shift in me as I slipped my inky black robe over my shoulders. I was no longer Jasper's Isabella but Isabella of the Volturi. I was a completely different person.

We made our way through the forest swiftly. There was something about travelling at speed with a group that I always enjoyed. I imagined pack animals felt the same way. It was a combination of the power you held as a team and the thrill of being surrounded by possible predators. At any moment we could lose our easy camaraderie and fight. It was Chelsea that bound most of us together, the only exceptions being myself and my brothers. We held genuine affection for one another.

As we got closer to the Romanians' lair, we heard the signs of the newborns' presence. Snarls and growls reached us followed by the sound of colliding bodies. Maria, it seemed, was not controlling them as well as she had been.

We drew to a halt and the guard positioned themselves around us forming the V formation we always used when going into battle. To Aro's mind it was an sign of civility that we did not race into a fight like heathens. Caius and I thought different; it was an intimidation tactic. You would see only one at first, and then as we drew closer the arcs of the V would stretch out showing exactly how many of us there were. It was a magnificent sight when we were all formed.

Aro stood and the centre flanked by Caius and I. Jane was beside me and Alec beside Caius. They were given this place of preference as they would be our greatest weapons in this fight. Alec would incapacitate the newborns for ease of destruction, and Jane would be used to teach – or at least to try to teach – Stefan and Vladimir why they should not plot against us. I would also use her on Maria to teach her a very different lesson. I had promised Jasper I would not kill her; he never said anything about outright torture.

Slowly, we approached the lair. I knew the moment we were heard as the snarls cut off abruptly, leaving momentary silence before they erupted into hisses. This was a moment I loved, when the accused realized we were coming.

We passed through the trees and into the two acre clearing surrounding the Romanians' decrepit castle. It was little more than ruins now. Only a small hall the size of the feeding room was still standing. This was where Stefan and Vladimir sat upon their thrones. They were nowhere in sight, but I knew once they heard our voices they would come. They could not resist.

We came to a halt and the guard fanned out around us and came to stand in a long line of bodies - another intimidation technique we employed.

"Demetri," I whispered. "Which is the shield?"

"On the right of Maria," he answered.

I looked and saw a slight figure standing at Maria's side. Other than the unnaturally enhanced beauty of our kind she was unremarkable looking. I felt for her with my own shield, wanting to know if I could siphon her gift for myself but was unable. There was nothing there for me to touch; it was as if she didn't exist.

The newborns were in fighting crouches, snarling at us. They had evidently been taught the significance of our black cloaks. I wondered what Maria had told them to expect of us to make them prepared to fight. Only Maria and the shield stood proud and tall as they faced us.

"This is quite the gathering of our kind," Aro said loudly.

"It is indeed," a familiar voice replied. Stefan had come from the ruins or the castle; Vladimir was only a step behind him.

"Isabella," he said. "It is always a pleasure to see you."

"The pleasure is all mine," I lied smoothly. This was all part of the routine. We behaved like old friends visiting rather than the mortal enemies we really were.

"And Aro and Caius, too," Stefan added. "I wish we could extend you the same compliment. Unfortunately it would be a lie."

Aro smiled sardonically. "Alas, I too am saddened to be here. I had hoped you would have given up your ideas of revenge after our last encounter. You know you cannot prevail, and yet you continue to try. We have allowed you your liberty. Does that not satisfy you? Why must you flout the laws of our kind by producing an army such as this?"

"They are not our laws," Vladimir spat. "We do not recognize you as our rulers; your laws mean nothing to us. You are merely usurpers of our power, caretakers of the throne. We shall destroy you and then ascend to rule once again."

Caius sneered at them. I was tempted to do the same, but my blank mask remained in place. I would not allow them to see his words had even registered with me, let alone affected me.

"Refute them as you will. They are nonetheless the rules," Aro said. "You have risked the secret and for that you must face judgment. However, it gives me no pleasure to destroy you; I shall offer a bargain of sorts. If you disband this army of yours, we shall allow you to live free once again. Do you accept?"

Stefan spat on the floor. That was answer enough.

"This saddens me," Aro lied. "We must counsel."

Caius and I turned so we were facing Aro and we began the charade of counsel. This was the first time I had been involved in counsel before accused. I did not allow myself to forget the solemnity of the occasion, though I wanted to smile foolishly.

"We all know what we must do," Caius said. "They must be destroyed, Stefan and Vladimir with them. The violation this time was too great."

"Isabella?" Aro prodded.

I had to make my answer fast. The newborns were barely clinging to their restraint. Maria may have trained them well, but faced with so many of us, there was no option but to fight. Even as we watched, their feet twitched as if they were fighting against the urge to charge us. One broke from the group and charged forward.

"Jane."

Needing no more that Aro's word to instruct her, Jane fixed her gaze on the newborn and narrowed her eyes. It dropped to the floor, screaming shrilly as her gift created agonizing pain. No sooner than it had begun it stopped. Jane looked thoroughly confused. She reached out a hand to Aro and he took it immediately.

He concentrated for a moment as he read her thoughts. His eyes widened in shock.

"Alec."

Just as with Jane the call of his name told Alec all he needed to know. He stared out at the mass of newborns and his shimmering mist crept towards them. I watched, waiting for the moment it would freeze them, but it never came. The mist reached a point ten feet in front of Vladimir and Stefan and then stopped as if reaching a wall.

Vladimir and Stefan smiled in unison. Whatever was happening it was no shock to them. Though I was thoroughly confused.

"The shield," Aro muttered.

"We are not undefended this time," Vladimir said with satisfaction. "The witch twins will not be able to defend you. This time we will fight as equals."

I hissed. This complicated matters. I had no doubt we would be victorious if we fought, but it would not be without losses to our side. The secondary guard were expendable, but as I looked along our lined rank I saw faces I cared about. Demetri, Felix, my brothers. I did not want to risk them, but to walk away from a fight went against everything I believed in.

"We have counseled," Aro said loftily. "And it has been decided that you may keep you guard now, but you must ensure they remain unnoticed. We will not hesitate to return should you expose us."

"Great words from a coward," Stefan said in a mocking tone. "You are bested and you know it."

"We are granting you a reprieve," I said loudly. "Do not tempt us."

"Oh, Isabella," Vladimir said. "It pains me to do this to you, but I have no choice… Now!"

His word was a command as one the newborns charged at us.

"Run!" The shout came from Aro, but I ignored it. I was not a coward. I would not leave this fight.

I saw my comrades fleeing from the approaching newborns, and fury burned in my heart. Caius and Aro were already gone. Renata ran with them, attempting to shield Aro despite the speed he was moving at.

They ran away and I ran forward. I met with a newborn head on and tore its head from its body with a triumphant roar.

"Isabella!" Aro's voice called to me, but I ignored it. I wanted to fight.

My easy decapitation of the newborn served to warn some of its fellows from opposing me but not all. A wiry male came at me from the side and I landed a kick in its gut.

Arms wrapped around my chest and I was sure it was over. The strength of a newborn was enough to crush me by force alone. I struggled but the grip around me tightened and I prepared myself for it to be over.

Jasper's face superimposed itself over my vision and I felt a pang of grief for him. I always knew our relationship would doom him; now he would know the pain of losing his mate.

I fixated on his image and prepared for it to be over.

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading. If you would like a teaser of the next chapter let me know in a review or a PM.<strong>

**Simaril x**


	24. Chapter 24: Cowardice

**Disclaimer: **All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Special thanks to Gredelina1, Augustmoon and Mary-Alice-Brandon-Cullen for pre-reading this. This was beta'd by Maxipoo1024 from Sparkly Red Pen.**

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><p><strong>~ Chapter Twenty Four — Cowardice ~<strong>

**Isabella POV**

I struggled against the arms holding me, fighting desperately to be free. Jasper's image flickered in front of me, giving me something to fight for.

"Dammit, Isabella. Stop fighting me!" a voice hissed in my ear.

"Felix?"

"Yes, it's me."

I was being carried away from the battle pinned against Felix's chest. I did not want to flee; I wanted to rally our guard and head back into the fray. They were only newborns. We were the Volturi. We did not flee from a fight.

"Stop it, Isabella!" This time it was Aro commanding me and not Felix. I ignored him as completely as I had Felix.

"Let me go now!" I ordered Felix. For all the notice he took, I might not have spoken at all. "Felix, I am ordering you to let me go!"

"Sorry, boss lady," he said, not sounding in the least sincere. "Aro's orders."

Aro was going to pay for giving those orders. I would make sure of it.

Maria. I blamed her for this. As soon as I had my liberty again, I was going to make her pay. I would destroy that shield, and then every vampire that stood against us would be writhing on the ground under the pain of Jane's gift. I would not use her for the task. I would siphon her power for myself, and I would enjoy every minute of it. I would save Maria for last. She would be made to cower at my feet for hours before I allowed her the peace of death.

The trees whipped past us, and I struggled all the harder. The sounds of the newborns' chase had died away. They were no longer following us; they were satisfied by our capitulation.

I knew from the lightening of the air that we were almost at the edge of the forest where we had left the cars. I fought against Felix's grip, and his grip slackened slightly. I thought myself victorious for a moment, but then I realized his intentions. We were at the cars, and he was preparing to bundle me inside like an unwanted package.

He set me on my feet, and I reached out and gripped Aro's hand. Releasing my shield, I allowed him to see the fury of my thoughts. It was a far more efficient way of expressing my anger than screaming at him as I wished to do.

His eyes widened under the onslaught, and he struggled against me, but I held fast.

"Alec!"

I heard the order from Caius' lips but did not react in time. Before I had a chance to shield myself once again, Alec's gift reached me, and I was cast into hellish oblivion.

I would make them pay for this.

xXx

There was no creeping sensation of returning consciousness. Awareness came back to me all at once. I was standing in the centre of the throne room, placed there by I did not know who. Aro, Caius, and Marcus were there, but the guard were absent.

As awareness returned so did my anger.

"Cowards!" I shouted. "You are nothing but cowards!"

"Isabella, calm yourself," Marcus said, rising to his feet and approaching me.

I stepped away from him and began pacing the circumference of the room. Alec's influence ended the moment you regained awareness, but I felt as if I needed to be in motion to avoid becoming still again.

"Did they tell you what they did?" I spat the question at Marcus. "Did they tell you how they ran like frightened children from the fight?"

"That is enough!" Aro said angrily.

I waved a hand at him. "No, it does not come close to being enough."

"We would have been overcome," Caius said reasonably.

"We would have been victorious!" I shouted.

"We would have suffered heavy casualties," Aro said. "Do you place so little value of the lives of your coven?"

"My coven?" I laughed. "My _coven_ has just destroyed itself. Do you imagine any vampire will respect us after that. How are we to rule when there is no price for punishment. There will be anarchy. No one will maintain our laws when they hear of this."

"Isabella," Marcus said softly. "You are underestimating our kind. We must all keep the secret for our own survival. They understand that. And this is not a defeat. It is merely a delay in justice. We granted them a reprieve and by attacking us they broke our trust. We shall return and punishment shall be carried out, but we must be better armed. We need to swell our ranks."

"And are we to fight then?" I asked. "Or will there be some other excuse to turn tail and run?"

"You shall lead," Aro said. "When we face them again you shall take the guard alone, and you shall make the decisions."

"Do you really think I will hold an ounce of influence over our guard now? You had me carried away like a misbehaving child, and then you used Alec to hold me. I shall be the laughing stock of the castle."

"Do not misjudge them," Marcus said softly. "Aro has attended to each of the guard and all of them hold you in high respect still. The fact you were forcibly removed from the battle only serves to strengthen your image as a warrior in their mind."

"Aro has attended to… how long did you hold me under Alec's influence?" I asked.

I knew it was hours as it had been time to make the two hour flight home and to return to the castle.

"Well…" Aro began awkwardly. "You see we felt it best to wait some time to allow things to be arranged."

"What things? What have you done Aro?" I demanded.

"We, or rather _I_, thought you might need comfort, and so I…"

He trailed off looking at something behind me. I spun on my heel and my mouth dropped open as I saw the figure standing at the door.

"He called me," Jasper said.

My fury vanished at the sight of him. Not caring that my brothers were watching with avid interest, I ran at him and fell into his open arms.

"They made me a coward," I said, my voice muffled against his neck.

"No, Isabella," he said soothingly. "You could never be that,"

xXx

Sometime later, Jasper and I were alone in my chambers.

"I'm sorry they dragged you back here," I said, speaking into his bare chest.

While Alec kept me under his influence, Demetri had been dispatched to collect Jasper from Washington in the jet. I was furious that they had dragged him back here when it was barely a week since I had got him away from the place. I didn't want him here where he would suffer.

"I'm not," he said simply. "Having you in my arms makes me happier than I can say. You have no idea how scared I was for you. Especially when Alice had a vision of Aro running."

"Running scared," I said angrily. "Did they explain what happened? What they did?"

"I had a summarized version on the plane," he said. "It seems you had a lucky escape."

I scoffed. "Escape? We would have been victorious had my brothers the strength of character to face them."

"Not without loss," he said, echoing Caius' words. "I could have lost you, Isabella."

I thought of the way I had felt when Felix's arms had wrapped around me. I had been sure it was a newborn and I had, by fixing Jasper's image in my mind, prepared myself for death.

He noticed the stiffening of my body and lifted my chin to look me in the eye. "What happened?"

"I thought you would lose me," I admitted. "I did not recognize Felix as my captor and believed myself to have doomed you."

"And yet you are angry they took you from the fight?" he stated. "Does that mean you hold more value to the fight than you do me?"

"No," I gasped. "Never. I swear to you, Jasper, you are the most important thing in my life."

"Then why are you so upset about this fight?"

I considered his words carefully. It did not seem right, given how close I believed myself to be to death, that I was still so enraged by our defeat. Jasper _was_ the most important thing in my life, far more important that the thrill of the fight. But the Volturi had been my priority for so long, it was hard to break the habit. Despite Marcus' reassuring words, I was sure our position as rulers had been severely damaged by all that had happened.

"Because we were forced to flee."

"You know there is a human name for people like you," Jasper said conversationally. "They call it _adrenaline junkie._ They are people that are only ever truly alive when the adrenaline is coursing through their veins."

"I am not any kind of junkie, thank you very much," I said. "And I have no adrenaline."

"I know that." He laughed. "But you are like them. You are only truly alive when you are in the thick of the action. Even though you thought you would die yesterday, you are upset that you were forced to flee. I thought it was lack of care for me, but it isn't; you are just addicted to the fight."

I didn't agree with his words entirely, but I was pleased he realized it was not lack of concern for him. He _was_ more important to me than anything. I needed to find a way of proving that to him.

"How long are you here for?" I asked.

"As long as you need me," he said, pressing a kiss to my forehead.

"Let me rephrase, how long before you are required back at school?" I tried very hard to keep the derision from my tone at the mention of school. It seemed ridiculous to me that this powerful, talented vampire was forced to play at being human five days a week.

"I am due to return on Monday morning," he said grudgingly.

"Wonderful," I said brightly. "That gives us four whole days together. What shall we do?"

"Well you're preparing for battle, aren't you? I want to help."

xXx

I intended to take Aro at his word and lead the guard alone. We would need even more in our ranks than we had last time, and so Demetri was sent out to find others we had dealt with before to bring them to our cause. Jasper offered his own services, again, and I denied him, again. I could not fight if he was there, and I must fight.

The shield was the reason for the Romanians triumph and the crux of my new plan. She was the one that had stopped Jane and Alec's gifts from working. Had we been able to use Alec, destruction would have been as easy as it usually was. I would have to destroy her.

Jasper said he wanted to help, and help he did. The first thing he did was to teach me everything he knew about Maria and the way she operated.

"Maria always wanted gifted vampires for the army, but I was the only one she ever found," he said. "She will stay as close to the shield as she can at all times."

"That will be helpful. The closer they are the easier it will be for me."

"You intend to kill Maria?" It was not phrased as a question, so I did not feel the need to answer. "Isabella."

"Yes, I intend to kill your maker," I said. "I was prepared to spare her before, but not again. She will be destroyed as will the rest of her army."

He was silent for a long time, and I wondered if my admission had upset him. He had gained better control of his gift now when around me, so I was not able to gauge his reaction from his emotions.

When he finally spoke, it was in a somber tone. "I understand, but I cannot help but fear for you. Maria stole so much from me: my humanity, my peace, and my liberty. I fear that she will steal you away from me as well."

"You forget who I am," I said, affronted. "She is no match for me."

It was not long before I realized the folly of those words.

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading. If you would like a teaser of the next chapter let me know in a review or a PM.<strong>

**Simaril x**


	25. Chapter 25: Waiting

**Disclaimer: **All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Special thanks to Gredelina1 for pre-reading this. This was beta'd by Maxipoo1024 from Sparkly Red Pen.**

**Sorry about the long wait for this chapter. There was a problem with Gmail and my beta didn't get the chapter until recently.**

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><p><strong>~ Chapter Twenty-Four — Waiting ~<strong>

**Jasper POV**

All day I had a sinking sensation in my stomach. I knew at any moment Isabella could be facing the Romanians, and I was powerless to do anything to help her. She was unconcerned by their fight, but I was terrified for her. I knew just how dangerous Maria could be. She would not have allied herself with the Romanians if she was not certain she would be the victor.

Isabella… my Isabella. She seemed indestructible when I was holding her, but when apart from me she seemed so vulnerable.

I called her cell phone for what felt like the hundredth time, but there was no answer. She hated cell phones. She had complained bitterly when I had forced one upon her before she left. The only way I had been able to persuade her to take it was when I told her the pain I would suffer if not even able to speak to her.

"Jasper," a voice behind me called.

"What?" I snapped wheeling around to face Carlisle.

"I apologize for interrupting," he said, seeing the silver cell phone in my hand. "I merely wanted to tell you we have arranged a meeting with the wolf pack."

"No, I apologize, Carlisle. I should not have been so short with you. I am anxious about Isabella, and it has me on edge."

"That is perfectly understandable," he said in his usual calm tone. "Have you heard anything from Volterra?"

"No, nothing. She said she would call me when she was finished in Romania."

"I am sure she is fine," he said. "Isabella is well equipped to protect herself. This is what she does."

"That's what worries me," I said, raking a hand through my hair. "When we were facing the werewolf, I wanted nothing more than to attack. If you are correct that it is because I have taken on some of her traits, it worries me that she will be doing the same. It was only Alice's safety that stopped me from fighting; Isabella has no such pull."

"You are forgetting yourself. Isabella now has reason to defend herself for you. You said she is fearful of mating because of how it could hurt you. She will be thinking of that even now."

It was a good theory, but I knew Isabella better than Carlisle. She would become lost in the action and forget about her own safety.

"Perhaps when Alice returns she can search for one of the Volturi to ease your mind," he said.

We had found that Alice was unable to see Isabella with her gift, but she could clearly see others of the Volturi. If I could at least have news of them, I could gauge Isabella's situation.

I had remained at home today rather than going to school with my siblings as I was too tense to manage my gift. At times, my fear would project from me, affecting others around me. It was too much to hope that the human would not notice their sudden waves of crippling fear when in my vicinity.

"What were you saying about the wolves?" I asked.

"I have been able to contact the tribe elders," he said. "Billy Black, a descendant of the last pack's alpha, has agreed to meet with us to discuss what happened with the wolf and to reaffirm our treaty. I was hoping you would come with us. Your gift would be advantageous in keeping it a calm exchange."

I nodded readily. "Of course. I will be happy to assist." It would also serve to distract me from my fears.

Carlisle sensed my need for solitude and went to seek out Esme. I decided I needed more than visual solitude; I needed to be away from others so my emotions were only my own.

I called out a farewell to Esme and Carlisle and made my way out into the forest. My feet moved without direction leading me to the cliff Isabella and I had been to when she was here.

I sat for awhile at the top of the cliff looking out over the ocean. From my vantage point, I could see the shore of the La Push territory. My thoughts turned to the wolves and the approaching meeting. I was sure I could keep the exchange sufficiently calm to avoid violence from the wolves, but I could not be certain my own emotions would stay in check. The last time I had come across a wolf it was all I could do to stop myself attacking.

I mulled over Carlisle's theory again. If this was Isabella influence over me, did that mean she always felt the same urge to fight? Did she spend her life in a constant state of alertness, needing action? I hoped not. I would never be able to satisfy that need. Especially not if she was to join me in my life with the Cullens.

When it grew late enough for my siblings to have returned from school, I made my way home again.

Alice was waiting from me on one of the plush couches in the lounge with Edward.

"You want me to search for Isabella?" she said by way of a greeting.

"If you wouldn't mind," I said. Alice was still a little irascible on the subject of my mate. I didn't fully understand it, but I suspected jealously played a part. Alice was accustomed to being my closest confidant, and Isabella had usurped her position.

She closed her eyes obligingly, and her expression became concentrated as she sought out Isabella. With a frustrated huff she opened her eyes again. "I can't see her."

I hadn't expected her to be able to. Isabella was a shield; she blocked Alice's gift automatically.

"Can you search for another?" I asked. "Aro or Caius. If she is still fighting, she will be with them."

Once again she searched, this time remaining immersed in the sight for longer. She gasped and her emotions reeled with shock.

"What is it?" I demanded, gripping her forearms and shaking her. "What did you see?"

Edward's anger surged, and he pushed me away from Alice.

"I know you are concerned, Jasper, but if you hurt Alice again–"

"Never mind that," I said waving an impatient hand to silence him. "Tell me what you saw?"

"They were running," Alice said. "I searched for Aro, but I saw more of the guard. They were running away from something. They looked scared."

Scared? The leaders of our world were running scared. It was impossible…or was it? Mere hours ago I had been considering Maria and her ability to gauge a cause. She must have known something the Volturi didn't. And my Isabella. What had become of her?

I couldn't stay in the house. The rest of the family had joined us in the lounge, and they were discussing Alice's vision with the enthusiasm of commentators analyzing a particularly exciting football game. Their words and emotions were overwhelming me. I ran from the house and to the garage. Bella had left her bike here when she left, and now I swung my leg over it and gunned the engine. I shot out of the garage door and onto the drive. What I needed now was a distraction. When I made the highway, I pushed the engine to its limit.

My thoughts moved as fast as the tires against the asphalt. Why would the Volturi be running? Was Isabella safe? What could I do to help her?

I wanted to go to Volterra now, but the last time I had done that I had created even more of a mess for Isabella to fix. I could not do that again. Impotent in my fear I forced all thoughts away and focused only on the road disappearing beneath me.

I rode for hours. It was fully dark by the time I pulled into the drive. I made my way into the house with a heavy heart. I was almost afraid of what Alice could have seen in my absence. She was waiting for me and did not wait for my request before immersing herself in the future.

When she came back to herself it was with a giggle. Edward was grinning too. Whatever they had seen, it was amusing them greatly.

"Well?" I asked anxiously. "What did you see?"

"I didn't see Isabella, but I heard her," Alice said. "She, or at least I think it was her, was having a tantrum of epic proportions."

"A tantrum?" I said blankly.

"Yep, she was screaming at someone about being a coward. She sounded positively enraged. Aro looked terrified."

Alice had seen Aro fleeing from the battle, was it him that Isabella was accusing of cowardice? In my human life, to be a coward was the worst possible crime for a soldier. By shirking your responsibility to fight, you were leaving another at risk. Isabella would not accept that from another, not even Aro.

I dialed her number again, and yet again there was no answer.

I threw the phone onto the couch in a temper tantrum. It bounced off and landed on the floor. I was tempted to crush it beneath my foot, but I resisted the urge. If she was ever going to contact me I needed the phone.

"Don't you have a number for the castle?" Alice asked.

"They are a ancient society of vampires protecting the secrets of our kind," I said irritably. "I don't think they have a listed number."

"I know that, idiot, but when we were there that woman on the reception had a phone. I doubt that was just a dummy. And someone called Isabella when we first met her; that was what summoned her home. Someone there has a phone."

I grabbed up the phone again and began dialing rapidly. If anyone would know a way to contact them it would be Eleazar.

He answered on the first ring. "Jasper, how are you?"

"Fine," I said curtly. "I need to contact Isabella, and she is not answering her phone."

"I'm sure she is fine," he hurried to reassure me.

"I know she is physically well, but I would like to speak with her. Do you have a number for the castle?"

"There is a number for the receptionist," he said, confirming Alice's theory. "But none of the ancients would come to that. Aro had a telephone when Isabella was here last, let me just see if I can find the number." I heard the sounds of shuffling paper in the background and then the dialing of a keypad. A moment later he returned and reeled off a telephone number.

I said a hurried goodbye and dialed the number had given me. Before I could hit the call button the home phone began ringing.

Edward picked it up and then held it out for me. "Jasper, it is an Italian number."

I snatched it away from him. "Isabella?"

"No, it is Aro," a smooth voice answered.

My heart dropped to somewhere in the region on my feet. What had happened to her?

"Is she… is she okay?" I asked, not able to complete my first thought.

"She is well, but I rather think we are going to need you."

I exhaled in a whoosh; my relief was overwhelming. "I'm on my way."


	26. Chapter 26: Prepared to Fight

**~ Chapter Twenty-Six — Prepared to Fight ~**

**Jasper POV**

Demetri worked fast. Soon the castle was crowded with vampires prepared to fight alongside the Volturi. I offered my services as a teacher and, for once, Isabella accepted.

There was nowhere within the castle that gave us enough space to train such number so we went out into the hills west of the city and worked there.

I enjoyed being out in the open air again. The emotional climate of the castle was taxing for me. The open space didn't offer much in the way of reprieve, but I was at least able to distance myself when it became too much.

Unexpectedly – for me at least – Isabella was as eager for instruction as anyone. I taught them all I knew of Maria and her training technique, hoping that forewarned would be forearmed. We only had days to work, as I was needed home again soon, but we made them count. Not needing to rest, we worked night and day. I wished I had more time with Isabella alone, but I comforted myself with the fact each hour spent training with others was an advantage for her when it came to the fight.

I made sure to call home regularly to ease their minds. The meeting with the wolves had been postponed until I returned with Isabella. I was looking forward to taking her home with me. It would be a test to see whether she really could live among my coven.

The plan was for her to return with me and to stay for a few weeks while the guard continued their preparations. It would allow time for the Romanians to be lulled into a false sense of security before the fight. Isabella did not much like the idea, she believed it would allow time for the story of the Romanians' triumph to spread, but she was outvoted by her brothers.

Emmett, Esme and Carlisle were looking forward to her arrival, too. They wanted the chance to get to know her better and to see me with my mate, having been denied the opportunity since the mating had been sealed. Alice, Edward and Rosalie were not so keen. Rosalie for her usual selfish reasons and Edward because he knew Alice would not be happy. I was disappointed by Alice's attitude. I accepted that it would be an adjustment for her to see me with my mate and to not be the most important person in my life anymore, but I had hoped she would put aside that for my benefit. It had been hard for me to see her and Edward together at first, but I had overcome that for her; she should make the same effort for me.

When she was not training with me, Isabella was with her brothers or Tomas—a newborn that Santiago had captured during the Volturi's retreat. He was a young man, not yet out of his teens when he was changed. Isabella had taken to sitting with him and questioning him about the Romanians and their army. She did not glean much satisfaction from him. He was a mere foot soldier and knew little, but still she went to him.

On my very last day in the castle, she took me to meet him. He was being held in a chamber off of the main hall. The thick, stone walls were not enough to hold him, but Jane's position as his guard did. She did not use her gift on him, but the threat was there.

"You may leave us," Isabella said to Jane as we approached the chamber.

Jane looked disappointed, but did as she was bidden and left. Her relationship with Isabella was a strange one. There did not seem to be any love lost between the pair, but Jane was deferential to Isabella, and she obeyed her every word without question.

Isabella opened the heavy door. "Tomas, it is Isabella," she said in a soft tone. I had never heard her speak like this before. She could have been speaking to a fretful child. When the door opened, I tested the emotional climate and immediately understood the soft tone. The poor boy was desperately sad. He sat huddled in the corner of the room, gripping a scrap of fabric to his chest. It looked like a woman's blouse.

"Jasper, I would like you to meet Tomas," Isabella said. "Tomas, this is Jasper, my mate."

His eyes widened as he looked at me. I thought it was because of my heavy scarring, a sign of my prowess as a fighter. When he spoke, I realized my mistake.

"Your mate? Like Lucy?"

"Just like Lucy," she said then turned to me. "Tomas and Lucy were backpacking through Romania when Maria found them. They both made it through the change and their human courtship became complete mating. Tomas was captured, but Lucy is still with Maria."

I immediately understood her kindness towards him. Tomas was living through what Isabella had always feared of mating. Losing your mate. Lucy was likely still alive, but for all the good it did Tomas she may as well have been dead, since they were apart anyway.

"Why can't I be with Lucy, if you can be with him?" Tomas asked.

"I'm sorry," she said, and there was no mistaking the sincerity in her tone. "I know it is unfair, but if you were to go back to Romania they would use you for information. We cannot risk it."

A wave of grief that was not my own washed over me. The boy was devastated.

I couldn't see what information Tomas would be able to deliver that would make him such a liability. What could he possibly know that would help the Romanians? As far as I knew, he had been held here since his arrival. All the planning had happened between Isabella and her brothers alone. No one else had been privy to their discussions. Not even me. However, that was because I was otherwise occupied with the guards rather than because of distrust.

"They could be hurting Lucy," he said desperately.

Isabella looked to me and I rallied to find the words to reassure him. Maria might well be hurting Lucy, she was known for her cruelty, and did not like having mated pairs in her army because she knew mates would protect each other before anyone else. Peter and Charlotte hid their relationship so well, even I didn't know about them until the moment I brought Charlotte forth for her destruction.

Unable to use the truth to reassure him, I lied. "Maria won't hurt Lucy. I doubt she even knew you were mated. She does not take notice of her troops other than to assess their skills as fighters."

"Lucy is a good fighter," he said. "She does well."

"There, see," Isabella said encouragingly. "She'll be fine."

"Until you go back there and kill her," he said accusingly. "I've heard them talking; I know that's what you are going to do."

Isabella looked saddened, for a moment and then smiled. "You can come with us," she offered.

Tomas frowned. "You want me to fight for you?"

"No, you don't have to fight. Come with us and you can find your Lucy and get her away before the fight starts. If you take her and run, I promise we won't hurt you. You have to run, though. If you attack any of us I can't protect you."

In a movement so unexpected I growled, he flung his arms around Isabella and clung to her. "I'll run. I promise," he said hurriedly. "Thank you, thank you so much."

She patted him gently on the back and smiled. "You're very welcome."

We left Tomas shortly after our discussion and wandered out to the solarium for some time alone.

"You have made him so happy," I said.

"Tomas?" she asked and I nodded. "He deserves some happiness. He and Lucy were just going about their life, not hurting anyone, when Maria intervened. Just like she did with you."

"And Aro with you," I said.

She shook her head. "No, my life was over the moment my father was defeated. Aro saved me from a fate worse than death; I would have been savaged and then killed. I am grateful he found me when he did."

"You are so different to the woman I met all those months ago," I said. "Every moment I spend with you I learn a little more."

"I don't understand it," she said thoughtfully. "I know to be mated means you will change, but I never expected it to change me in this way."

I understood what she meant. Isabella had not taken on my trait for the human charade as I had considered, but she had taken on a part of my gift. She could not feel or alter emotions the way I could, but her emotional reactions were different. Her enhanced fury at the denied battle, and her compassion for Tomas were the affects of my gift.

She smiled impishly. "You realize you are to blame for it all. I was perfectly happy with my scorn for the humans and caring only for myself. You have left me a doomed woman."

I laughed, knowing she was not serious. "I disagree, you never cared only for yourself, you have always had a huge heart, it is just now you are unafraid to show it. I do apologize for changing your view on the humans. It must be tiresome for you to recognize them as people rather than annoyances."

She shoved away my hand from her knee and tried to look angry. She failed spectacularly.

"I have been changed too," I said consolingly. "I thirst for action now in a way I never have before. When I was faced with that wolf, I wanted nothing more than to fight it. It was only my need to protect Alice that stopped me."

"Which is a terrible shame. It would have been a terrific thrill fighting one of those wolves. I should know, I once fought their Child of the Moon fellows, and it was the greatest challenge I have ever faced. Perhaps when we are in Forks again we can put Alice in a nice safe place and you and I can seek them out and have a little fun."

"As tempting as that is I don't think Carlisle would be pleased," I said. "We have a treaty to maintain. Or at least I think we do. We were supposed to meet with the tribal elders but I was called away before we were able."

"That's wonderful," she said clapping her hands together. "I can come with you."

"I'm not sure that's such a good idea. They are very volatile"

"So am I," she said with a smile. "Besides, they will be much more amenable to you and your treaty once they meet me."

I imagined Isabella facing the pack. The thought was amusing. They would hardly be able to flaunt their power when we explained the power she commanded.

"We could even bring a few of the guard along for good measure," she said. "I'm sure they would appreciate the opportunity."

"How about we just take you and call on the guard if necessary?" I suggested, amused at the direction our conversation had taken.

"As you wish," she said, pressing a kiss to my cheek and then getting to her feet again. "I need to see my brothers once more before we leave."

I checked my watch and saw it was almost time for our departure. Hours seemed to lurch past when I was with her.

"Are you really sure you want to come back with me?" I asked. "I know there are preparations to be made here."

"They can survive without me for a while. Besides, I can't wait to see Rosalie's face when I arrive."


	27. Chapter 27: The Treaty

**~ Chapter Twenty-Seven — The Treaty ~**

**Jasper POV**

We made the journey back to Forks at breakneck speeds with me clinging to Isabella's waist as she twisted and swerved around the corners. She was happiest riding her bike, and I soaked up the ecstatic emotions radiating from her.

All too soon, the journey was over and I was directing Isabella to the concealed driveway that led to our house.

I knew that our arrival was clearly audible to the family, given the roar of the engine, but instead of meeting us on the porch as I suspected they wanted, they remained respectably inside.

"It's not what I expected," she said, pulling the bike to a halt at the front of the house.

All sounds in the house cut off as everyone waited to see what she would say. Esme was very proud of the work she had done on the house and if Isabella insulted it, there would be five very unhappy vampires inside.

"I imagined from what you said of your human lifestyle you would live closer to them. This is nice and private, just like Eleazar's house."

"We only pretend to be human when we are with the humans," I said patiently. "When we are alone, there is no need for the pretence."

"Apparently not. It's really quite beautiful," she said looking at the delicate woodcarving on the porch balustrade—a hobby of Emmett's.

I felt a surge of pleasure from the house that I was sure was Esme's. I was glad she was happy. I wanted them all to see just how wonderful my Isabella was, and if she had begun by insulting our home, it may have complicated matters somewhat.

I proffered an arm to Isabella and she took it. Walking side by side, we entered the house. As I looked around the room, I noticed someone was missing. Rosalie. She was undoubtedly waiting for the right time to make her entrance. If she thought a sweeping arrival down the grand staircase was going to impress Isabella, she was very wrong.

Carlisle rose to his feet to greet us. "Isabella, it is lovely to see you again," he said with obvious sincerity.

She smiled beautifully at him. "You too. I would apologize for the way we parted last time but you all know I wouldn't mean it. I am, however, glad that we have a second chance to get to know each other."

Everyone looked to me, unsure how to react. Isabella was, to them at least, still a mystery. I smiled and held her a little closer to me.

Isabella was looking around the room with interest. She spied Edward's baby grand on the plinth and gave it a look of longing.

"Do you play?" I asked. I hadn't seen any sign on musical instruments in the castle, but I was still learning about Isabella and the fact she had a hidden talent for the piano would not have surprised me.

She shook her head. "No, I have never learned, but I enjoy the music. Do you?"

"No, Edward is the musician of the family."

"I could play for you sometime," he offered tentatively.

Isabella unleashed one of her dazzling smiles at him in return. There was no preparing oneself for one of her smiles, and I was amused to see Edward fell victim to it as easily as I did.

"I've got something for you!" Emmett announced, not to be outdone by Edward. "I'll be right back."

In the blink of an eye, he was gone from the room; a moment later, I heard the sounds of fabric rustling. Whatever he had for her, he had hidden it in a closet. He came downstairs holding a poorly wrapped package in his arms. He handed to it Isabella with flourish.

It was clear from the musky scent that it was a bear skin, but Isabella pretended to be oblivious as she took it from him and tore into the gift-wrap. It was of course the skin of the bear she had brought home the day we met her. Emmett had turned it into a beautifully crafted rug.

Isabella held it up in front of her and stoked her hand across the fur. "It's beautiful," she said. "Thank you, Emmett."

He beamed with pleasure. "I have found a nice looking black bearskin for you too," he said eagerly. "But the bear is still wearing it. I thought we could take a hunting trip while you are here."

"That will be nice," she said. "It has been a while since I hunted."

That was not strictly true, we had both hunted just a day before, but I realized she was pretending otherwise for Emmett's benefit. It was unexpectedly kind of her, and I really appreciated the effort. The choice to have her live among the coven was dependant on the family's ability to accept her as much as it was about her own sacrifice. She was off to a good start.

"So, how are things in Volterra?" Esme asked carefully.

"Busy," Isabella said with a sigh. "It is very crowded there at the moment. I am glad to be away. That's not to say it is not exciting to be there. The time spent preparing for a fight is almost as good as the fight itself."

"You're preparing to fight the Romanian coven, yes?" Carlisle said.

The tension in the room increased palpably. Carlisle had met the Romanians in his travels before he changed Edward. Though he would not class them as friends, he cared for them as he did all vampires he came into contact with.

"Their army," she said.

"Is there a difference?" Edward asked.

"The army they have created are the threat, they must be destroyed, but I don't think Stefan and Vladimir have done enough to warrant destruction. We usually show them… I suppose you would call it professional courtesy. Unless they openly attack us, we will leave them plot again. It's more entertaining that way."

Emmett guffawed. "You rock! You know that, right?"

Isabella looked to me with a raised brow. "Is that a good thing?"

Her ignorance of modern phrasing was amusing and endearing. I supposed there wasn't the opportunity to learn slang when living among the Volturi.

"It is a good thing," I whispered.

"Oh, well in that case, yes I do know," she said, smiling at Emmett.

"Personally, I don't find destroying others of our kind to be a reason for adulation," a snide voice said from the staircase. Rosalie had decided to make an appearance.

"Of course you don't, dear," Isabella said, with a kindly expression. "We can't all contribute to the world as greatly as you. We must take our opportunities where we can."

"Carlisle is a doctor!" she spat.

"Indeed, and I admire him for it, but we were talking about you. How exactly do you contribute, other than by keeping the school system supplied with willing minds?"

Edward swallowed a laugh poorly. Emmett was looking cautious. He sensed the change in Isabella, and though he did not fear for his mate as he had before, but still he was concerned.

"Jasper does the same thing as I do," Rosalie said, jumping to the defensive. "And you don't seem to mind him not contributing."

"Actually, Jasper had spent the last few days training our guard to fight. Thanks to him, we have a good chance of coming through this fight without casualties. I would say that is a significant contribution."

Rosalie didn't reply. Instead, she thumped down on the couch beside Emmett and scowled.

Isabella seemed supremely unconcerned by Rosalie's bad temper. She was gazing out of the back wall of windows with a peaceful expression. When she spoke, it was in a soft, thoughtful tone. "Alice, would you mind if I utilized your gift for a moment?"

I was surprised Isabella asked; she never had before. Alice clearly was thinking the same as she gaped at Isabella before she regained the power of speech.

"Um, sure."

"Is there a way to focus on a specific person?"Isabella asked.

"Yes, if you concentrate on the person you want to see, you should be able to see their path."

Isabella nodded and then her eyes fell closed as she concentrated. I knew when she found what she wanted as she smiled. Her eyes snapped open again and she answered my unspoken question.

"I was checking on Tomas. He is fine; Aro is speaking to him."

That didn't sounds particularly fine to me, but if Isabella was happy so was I.

I could feel the curiosity in the room. The family were unaware of Tomas. I thought this would be a good time to demonstrate the softer side of Isabella.

"Tomas is one of the Romanians' newborns. He was captured and Isabella has been taking care of him."

"He misses his mate," Isabella explained.

"If you are taking such good care of him, why haven't you sent him back to his mate?" Rosalie asked, bitterness dripping from every word. She had no concern for Tomas; she was just using the opportunity to aggravate Isabella.

"Because if we allow him to go back to his mate he will also be going back to Stefan, Vladimir and Maria, and they will use him for information."

"So you're scared of working with an even playing field?" Rosalie said cuttingly.

Isabella fisted her hands in her lap. She was struggling to control her temper.

"No, you nitwit," she said coolly. "I am worried about the means they would use to get the information from him. I don't imagine Tomas would sell me out willingly, but there is only so much pain one can take before you tell all.

Rosalie started to respond but Emmett — bravely in my opinion — clapped a hand over her mouth.

"How about we give you a tour of the rest of the house," Esme said enthusiastically, jumping to her feet.

Isabella smiled, and gripping my hand firmly, she stood to follow.

xXx

"Look at them," Isabella said in an awestruck tone. "They're magnificent."

We had finally rearranged our meeting with the werewolves. We were standing at the edge of the river that marked the boundary line between our land and the Quileute territory, and the wolves were slinking out of the trees.

Isabella had been with us a week and other than occasional spats with Rosalie all had gone well. She had dazzled the rest of the family as completely as she had me. Even Alice was forced to see the good in her now we were all together.

I recognized the grey wolf that had attacked Alice and me. It stood at the right of the biggest black wolf that I assumed was the leader. On its left side was a deep brown wolf.

"There are three," Carlisle whispered. "Just like the last pack."

"Three is enough," Edward replied.

"Not enough to go around," Emmett said with evident disappointment.

Carlisle shot him an admonishing look, but Emmett seemed supremely unconcerned. He was thirsting for a chance to fight a wolf. He saw them as worthy challengers.

Isabella seemed unconcerned with their obvious power; she was staring at them as if they were a rare work of art. I recognized the expression, having seen it on Aro before. They evidently shared the same love of curiosities.

Carlisle stepped forward and opened his arms in a show of greeting. "Thank you for coming. I'm afraid I do not know your names."

"Our names are unimportant," Edward said in a monotone voice. He was apparently speaking for the wolves. When he spoke again, it was in his usual tone and he sounded a little irritated. "I am not going to repeat that. In fact, if you won't do us the courtesy of speaking politely I won't be speaking for you at all."

The wolf in the centre growled and then walked back into the trees.

"Well that didn't last long," Isabella said, sounding disappointed.

"He's coming back," Edward said. "He is changing into his human form so he can insult us for himself."

Isabella laughed. "Well, this should be interesting."

A moment later, an enormous man stepped out of the trees. He was barefoot and wearing only a tattered pair of shorts.

"I am the alpha of the pack." He crossed his arms over his chest. His expression was hard and did not inspire confidence in this going smoothly.

"It is a pleasure to meet you," Carlisle lied shamelessly. "I am Carlisle Cullen."

If Carlisle hoped to gain some ground with the introduction, he was wrong. The man seemed irritated by our presence alone."

"He is Sam, and the others are Paul and Jared," Edward said, picking their names from their thoughts. "Paul is the one that attempted to attack Alice and Jasper."

The grey wolf growled and the one called Sam bristled. "You were on our land."

Isabella smiled. It was not her usual dazzling smile; it was a mocking smile that was better suited to Caius than to her. "That is a lie, and you know it."

"And who are you?" Though Sam's voice was even, his emotions betrayed his unease.

I grinned, enjoying the moment. "This is Isabella, one of the leaders of our world."

"You have leaders?" Sam asked.

"Indeed we do," Carlisle said with evident enjoyment. "Our leadership is a little more complex than that of your pack. We have four leaders and they have a hierarchy of their own. The four leaders are called the Volturi, and they have a guard of sorts."

"A guard," Isabella said in a musing tone. "Carlisle you do us wrong. We do not have a guard; we have an army. An army that is in fact about to wage a war."

The man, Sam, visibly paled. I could see that he thought Isabella was referring to his pack. As much as I would have enjoyed fighting his wolf, seeing my mate intimidate him was far more entertaining. "A war?"

Isabella smiled again. "Indeed. A war. A group has been working against my coven. Soon we will go to war with them. There is an army of over fifty vampires training as we speak. Their role is to annihilate our enemies." She tilted her head to the side and examined the wolves with an assessing expression. "Are you my enemies?"

"We have a treaty," Sam blustered.

"Not with me you don't. Your treaty protects you from Carlisle and his coven; as you have heard, I have my own coven." She paused for effect. "And you attacked my mate."

This was extraordinarily satisfying for me. I could feel the fear rolling from the wolves in waves. They were scared out of their wits. The grey wolf that had attacked Alice and I whined and rocked back on its haunches. It was apparent that it was regretting its hasty attack now.

"We are not your enemies." For someone fighting outright panic Sam did a good job of maintaining a calm façade. One day, if given time to grow into his role, he could be a great leader.

Isabella clapped her hands together in an eerie impression of Aro at his happiest. "Wonderful. I never like making enemies; it is always tiresome to destroy them."

With that enigmatic statement, she threaded her arm through mine and pulled me away from the clearing.

"Isabella, what are you doing?" I whispered in her ear.

"Leaving so Carlisle can make his apologies and reorganize your treaty, of course." She smiled brightly. "He can explain that I am a little touched in the head, but powerful, and they can go away happy but respectful. It's the soundest solution for us all."

"And you don't mind?"

She laughed. "Not at all. Coven dynamics are important and Carlisle needs a chance to reinstate himself as the leader before the wolves. I wouldn't have spoken up at all if they hadn't been to obstinately stupid."

I turned back and saw Carlisle was shaking hands with Sam. From the low voices I could hear that she was right. Sam was agreeing to maintain the territory lines and to avoid contact between the family and the pack as much as possible.

I smiled and pulled Isabella to me and pressed my lips to hers in a searing kiss. "You are a remarkable woman."

"Oh, I know." She smiled.

I laughed. I had no memory of ever being happier than I was in that moment. I had the love of my life with me, my family, and the conflict with the wolves was resolved. Life was good. Life was also unpredictable. At the moment phone rang in my pocket.

"Hello?"

"Jasper, it's me, Peter."

"Hey, Pete. How are you?" My tone was amiable. I hadn't heard from Peter for some time and I was hopeful that the phone call portended a visit. I wanted him to meet my Isabella.

"We're fine; it's you I'm worried about."

My brow furrowed. "What have I done?"

"That's what I'm wondering," he said cryptically. "Maria is looking for you."


	28. Chapter 28: Somewhere Safe

**~ Chapter Twenty-Eight — Somewhere Safe ~**

**Jasper POV**

Isabella growled low in her throat. The sound drew the attention of the family, and they hurried away from the wolves and to our side.

"What has happened?" Carlisle asked in a whisper.

I ignored his question and asked one of my own.

"What did she say to you, Peter?"

"She said she wanted to look you up for old time's sake, but it was a lie. She had that intense look in her eyes that used to come before some kind of fuckery. What have you done, Jasper?"

There was no time to explain all that had happened, even if I had the desire. Isabella was standing with her hand outstretched for the phone. "It is a long story. I'll tell you all about it another time. Can you talk to Isabella for a moment?"

"Who the hell is Isabella?"

"I am," she said simply into the receiver. "What did you tell Maria?"

"I told her that we didn't know where Jasper is and that we had no way of contacting him. Now, who are you and why do I have the feeling you are the reason Maria is looking to bring Jasper out of retirement?"

As if Peter had not spoken, Isabella handed the phone back to me. "If you value him, tell him to come get somewhere safe." Her voice was heavy with foreboding.

"I can't tell you everything now, Peter, but you need to get out of the way of Maria. Go somewhere safe and wait for me to call you."

"This is bad, isn't it, Jasper?"

"I'm not entirely sure," I said honestly. The fact Maria was looking for me wasn't good, but the fact it seemed to have derailed Isabella so much was more worrying. Judging by the tense set of her jaw and her fisted hands she had read more into Peter's news than I had.

"You take care of yourself, Jasper," Peter said seriously and then he ended the call.

I cupped Isabella's face in my hands and looked deep into her topaz eyes. "What is it?"

"Not here." She looked at the wolves that were standing where we had left them. They were listening to every word we spoke. It was not advisable for them to see us weakened like this.

She took my hand and broke into a sprint in the direction of the house. The rest of the family followed in our wake. When we reached the river bordering our property, Isabella released my hand and jumped the expanse of water in a smooth leap. Even through my distraction, I noted and appreciated the grace with which she moved.

Carlisle unlocked the front door and we all trailed in. Like me, the rest of the family seemed confused about what was happening. Maria seeking me out was troublesome—the last time we had met she had almost exposed us with some injudicious hunting—but not worthy of the stress that was etched on Isabella's features.

Isabella paced the length of the room in a state of high anxiety. She was wringing her hands. I had not seen her so agitated since I arrived in Volterra following the aborted fight with the Romanians. I caught her hand as she passed me and pulled her to a halt. She looked irritated for a moment and then her features softened.

I stroked the curve of her cheek. "Please tell me what you are thinking."

She twitched as if wishing to resume her pacing and shook her head. "Maria is looking for you."

"Which is unfortunate but not a real cause for concern," I said reasonably. "She may just be seeking my assistance with the Romanian situation."

She shook her head again. "This is no coincidence. Something more is happening here, but I don't understand what." She took a deep breath and exhaled in a gust. "We need to get you somewhere safe."

I was a little confused by this reaction, and my pride was hurt. I was more than capable of defending myself from Maria.

Rosalie answered for me. "Don't you think you are overreacting? Jasper may not be an almighty leader of our race, but he is not the weakling you are treating him as. There are enough of us to defend him if Maria does come calling."

Isabella turned her stony glare on to Rosalie. To her credit, Rosalie gave no sign of her discomfort, but it was obvious to me that she was uneasy under Isabella's scrutiny. When Isabella spoke, it was not in the patiently indulgent tone she had maintained when dealing with Rosalie thus far. It was as if she was speaking to a slow-witted child.

"Maria has an army. Do you feel capable of defending him from that?"

Rosalie huffed, but did not answer.

Isabella turned her attention to Alice. "Alice, are you familiar with Maria?"

"Yes."

"Can you see where she is now, please?" Though Isabella formed it as a request, it was clear she expected Alice to do as she asked. I could see that she was fighting the urge to become her other self. The self that commanded armies.

Alice closed her eyes dutifully and concentrated. "She is heading north."

Isabella groaned. "Eleazar."

She rifled through her pockets and pulled out the cell phone she so hated. She dialed rapidly, and a moment later, Eleazar's voice could be heard.

"Isabella?"

"Eleazar, we have a problem. Maria is seeking Jasper and she is heading in your direction."

"What do you want me to do?" Eleazar asked.

"I don't know her motivation, but I think it would be best if you came to Volterra for the time being. We will be there presently."

We would? Judging from the expressions of disbelief from the rest of the family, they were no more eager to make a trip to Italy than I was.

"You are sure that is necessary?" Eleazar asked.

"I am," she said simply. "There is something I am missing and I have a creeping suspicion that Aro is behind it."

Eleazar sighed heavily. "Tanya, Kate, and Irina will not be keen to make this trip."

"Are they keen on living? I am not mistaken Eleazar; there is something happening that bodes ill for us all. If they refuse to come to Italy, persuade them to leave Alaska. It doesn't matter where they go as long as it is far from their usual haunts. Stefan and Vladimir know our history and will surely have told Maria. You are all targets now."

The change Isabella had been struggling to quell had happened as she spoke to Eleazar. She was speaking with brisk confidence. Not making requests but issuing orders. I almost expected her eyes to change into the bright crimson that she favored when in Volterra.

"Very well, Isabella. I will do my best."

"I will see you very soon, old friend."

Isabella locked eyes with Alice and a moment of silent communication passed between them. Then, Isabella's eyes became unfocussed as she searched out an unknown future. I felt her frustration as she searched and then a wave of pure fury. It was so intense I stepped back from her reflexively.

When she spoke her voice was a hiss. "Damn Aro!"

"What has happened?" Carlisle asked again.

She didn't answer but took the phone from my unresisting hand and began dialing again. A moment later Aro's voice could be heard.

"My dear Jasper, this is an unexpected pleasure. What can I do for you?"

"It is me," Isabella said briskly.

Aro's tone switched from jocular friendliness to alertness. "What has happened?"

"We have received news that Jasper's sire is seeking him out again."

There was echoing silence on the other end of the phone. I felt the tension in the room increase palpably.

"Aro, what have you done?" Isabella asked in a voice heavy with ill suppressed anger.

"Now, Isabella, you must understand that I did it for you. I knew how it troubled you to leave him alone."

She growled. "Aro!"

"I sent the newborn back to his mate." Aro's tone was defensive.

"You fool!" she hissed. "You damn fool!"

"Now, Isabella, I hardly believe it is necessary to cast slurs. I acted for you."

"And thanks to you, Maria has intimate knowledge of my life. Mainly the fact I am now mated for her former lieutenant. Did you not think of this before acting?"

Aro did not speak for a long time. I could easily imagine him shifting uncomfortably in his throne. "So Maria knows about your relationship with Jasper. It does not necessarily mean that she is targeting him now."

"Did you not listen?" Isabella snapped. "She is seeking Jasper now. You have damned him." She paused for a moment and pinched the bridge of her nose. I felt her anger shifting into steely determination. When she spoke it was in a much calmer tone that she had used thus far. "We are coming to the city. Prepare the army for our departure. I want Demetri and Felix at the airport."

Now I had bodyguards? This was becoming ridiculous. Maria was one vampire. Rosalie was right; if they attacked, there were enough of us to defend the vulnerable—Esme and Rosalie. I would not think of myself as vulnerable.

Without saying goodbye, Isabella snapped the phone closed and turned her attention to the rest of us. "Pack what you will need. I will give you ten minutes and then we are leaving."

"You will give us?" Rosalie scoffed. "We are not your guard. We do not take orders, and we are not going to be dragged out of our home to satisfy your paranoia."

"You will come with me by choice or I will have Alec come here and freeze you all until we reach Volterra." Isabella's tone was cold.

"Carlisle, what do you think of this," Rosalie asked pleadingly. She was desperate for Carlisle to support her. It was in vain, I could have told her that. Carlisle was nothing if not cautious. Isabella's fear had infected him.

"Isabella, do you truly believe we are in danger?" he asked.

"I am certain of it." She locked eyes with him and he nodded.

"Very well. We will come to Volterra."

Rosalie opened her mouth—surely to argue—but Emmett gripped her hand.

"I believe her, Rosie, and I'm not risking you. Whether Alec comes or I have to carry you there kicking and screaming, we are going to Volterra."

I had never heard Emmett speaking like this, least of all to Rosalie. She was as stunned as I was. I did not ponder the situation long as Alice had caught my attention. Her eyes were glazed as she sought out a future I could not see. From her emotions I understood what she was seeing was not something good.

"Enough!" Edward said angrily.

"What did you see, Alice?" Esme asked, but it was Edward that answered.

"Maria is not alone. She has a group of ten newborns with her, and…"—he gulped—"and they are feeding now."

"Feeding savagely," Alice said in a whimper. "It will be all over the news soon enough, a massacre in Yukon."

"She is trying to draw us out," Isabella said. "She wants the guard to separate to come to deal with her. Now do you believe me?"

None of us answered Isabella directly, but we all moved into action as one. Edward and Alice prepared the house for our absence, closing the shutters and flicking the fuses to cut the power. Carlisle called the hospital and told them there had been a family emergency. I went to the library and collected passports for us all, including one I had made for Isabella. She trailed after me, unwilling to let me out of her sight even for a moment.

She caught my arm as I passed her on the way to the safe and threw her arms around me.

"I know you think I am being overly cautious," she said, "but I cannot lose you."

I kissed her lightly on the lips. "I understand. I feel the same way about you."

She leant closer to me and hid her face against my chest, speaking in a whisper. "I love you, Jasper."

Joy filled my heart, overwhelming me. "You love me?"

She looked up at me. "I do. Now let's get you somewhere safe."


	29. Chapter 29: More Than My Own Life

**~ Chapter Twenty-Nine — More Than My Own Life ~**

**Jasper POV**

As Isabella had requested, Felix met us at the airport, but Demetri was nowhere in sight; Santiago had come in his place. There was no explanation given for Demetri's absence, and Isabella didn't ask, though I could tell she was not pleased.

All through the flight to Italy and the drive to the castle, she remained tensed and ready for attack. I tried to soothe her as best as I could, but it was not enough. She was blocking my gift, and my touch did not seem to calm her as much as was usual.

Only when we drove through the walls of the town did she breathe a sigh of relief and relax against me. We were, or rather _I_ was, now safe in her mind. My own anxiety about Maria and the threat she posed was increasing as time went on. Partly because I was reacting to Isabella's fear, and partly because of Alice.

Throughout the journey, she searched for a clear view of Maria's next step, but the images were constantly changing. Maria knew of Alice's gift and seemed to be doing her best to avoid her sight. The clearest vision Alice had was of Maria in the company of two people Isabella identified as Stefan and Vladimir. It was possible that she was going to head back to Romania rather than travelling north.

I was uncertain about how my family would react to seeing Isabella in her home environment. It was not just the red eyes and black cloak that concerned me, but Isabella herself. She was a different person within the castle walls to the person they had encountered so far. She was a leader. I hoped Rosalie would be suitably intimidated by the surroundings and the respect Isabella demanded when in the castle to hold her tongue.

When we arrived at the castle Isabella led us through the halls and to the reception desk where a human awaited us.

"Alessandra, please see the Cullens to the guest suites," Isabella said loftily.

The human bobbed a bow and gestured to a door that I knew led to a staircase to the tower rooms. Carlisle smiled at the human and followed obediently. I was glad of it. This was the first test of their reactions and I worried they may comment on Isabella's disregard for the human. Little did they know that, by tacking a please onto the order, Isabella was already altering for their benefit.

With my family and Alessandra gone, Isabella and I were left alone for the first time. We walked together to her chambers at a speedy pace. When we entered, Isabella shrugged off the jacket she had been wearing and pulled on her cloak. With a sigh she faced the mirror above her dresser and closed her eyes. When she opened them again they were vivid ruby.

"That is becoming harder for you to do, isn't it?" I said.

She nodded. "Not physically, but emotionally, yes. These last few weeks among your family have been pleasant and relaxed. Now, I must return to the grand charade of leadership."

I pressed a chaste kiss to her lips and she instantly deepened it.

"Your brothers are waiting?" I murmured against her lips.

"They can wait. You are safe now."

Needing no more than that I raised my hands to her silky hair and tangled my fingers in her long locks. Her tongue explored my mouth and I groaned against her. This was my heaven. Just her and me together.

"Jasper," she panted. "Make me forget."

She was finally telling me what she needed, and I was happy to provide.

xXx

After an hour of lying in each other's arms, merely taking comfort in the other, reality intervened in the form of a knock at the door. Isabella called out a greeting and Marcus answered.

"Isabella, we are most anxious to speak with you."

Isabella sighed heavily and dressed with speed. I copied her, letting out a sigh of my own. As she pulled on her cloak, I rearranged her hair for her and kissed her. She smiled against my lips.

Marcus was waiting outside the door. He glared at me as I stepped out. I smiled serenely back at him and followed Isabella down the spiral staircase.

We met with the rest of my family in the halls. They started at the sight of Isabella in her dark robes with her crimson eyes but managed to cover the shock on their features quickly. Carlisle, alone, seemed comfortable. I remembered that he had spent many years here in his youth. This must be something of a homecoming for him.

Isabella strode through the doors to the throne room that were being held open by two guards I was not familiar with. Carlisle and I followed her in without thought, but the others hesitated at the threshold. Isabella turned back to them and smiled. "Come in."

Aro stepped forward as we entered. "Carlisle!" he exclaimed. "It has been far too long, my old friend."

Carlisle bowed his head respectfully. "It has indeed, Aro. I should have made the journey sooner."

"You should," Aro agreed. "Perhaps you were hoping to keep your talented coven from me. I admit I am envious of the powerful group you have amassed."

Carlisle opened him mouth to speak but Isabella cut him off.

"Enough, Aro. We have more important things to discuss."

"Indeed we do," Caius said with obvious relish. "We understand you have been in contact with Maria."

Isabella nodded but then something behind Aro seemed to draw her attention. I followed her eye-line and saw what it was. There was now a fourth throne on the dais, set between Marcus and Aro's.

She scoffed. "I told you I didn't want that."

"And I did not listen," Aro said with a serene smile.

I could not take my eyes from the throne. I had seen Isabella command great numbers of vampires, I had seen her quell Aro with a look, but never before had I seen true proof of who she was. She was a leader, and this was her throne, where she should reside and rule over the vampire world. How could the quiet life of my family possibly compare to that?

"…not important." Marcus' voice drew me back to the conversation at hand. "We can discuss this later. Tell us of Maria."

"We have not had direct contact with her," I said. "We heard news from an old friend of mine that she was seeking me."

Caius nodded looking thoughtful. "That is of course worrying. Since the attack in Canada I am forced to accept that we have underestimated Maria."

"She is trying to draw us out," Isabella said confidently. "We are expected to send the guard to deal with this violation of the rules. While we are separated they will launch their attack."

"Alas, I think you are right," Aro said in a more serious tone than I had ever heard him use. "Demetri sensed that Stefan and Vladimir have moved. I suspect they have moved their army too. He has been sent to seek them."

"How long has he been gone?" Isabella asked, an unexpected edge to her voice.

"Merely twelve hours," Aro said. "I do not expect him to return for some days."

Isabella raked a hand through her hair. "Not quick enough," she muttered. "I want to be gone already."

"Gone where?" I asked, fear creeping into my heart.

She turned back to me and smiled sadly. "To fight, of course. I want this over."

I understood the sentiment, but the idea of her going off to fight scared me. I wanted to go with her, but I knew she would never allow it. When we fought together my presence had distracted her. But if I could persuade her to let me go in her place… Or not to go at all. There were dozens of vampires here now, more than enough to handle the army that was coming. She needn't fight at all.

As if she knew what I was thinking—if she was using Edward's gift she really could—Isabella took my hand into her own and squeezed it.

Aro seemed curious by what he was seeing between us. He stepped forward with his hand extended to me. I had no desire for him to see what had passed between Isabella and I a mere hour ago. Isabella caught his hand before it reached me and locked eyes with Aro. He bowed his head over their clasped hands and I knew she was showing him her thoughts. She had told me she could be selective about what she allowed him to see, which relieved me somewhat.

I knew she had shown him her interactions with Rosalie as he looked up and smiled at her. Perhaps wondering at her foolishness. He gasped suddenly and looked into Isabella's eyes.

"Is there nothing I can say to dissuade you?"

Isabella shook her head firmly. "I am decided."

"Very well." He looked displeased but accepting.

"What have you decided?" I was feeling distinctly nervous.

"That I am leading the army and that Caius will be staying here," said Isabella.

Caius frowned. "I will?"

"Yes, you will. I need you here for… What is that infernal racket?" The sound of a particularly upbeat ringtone was coming from Aro's pocket.

Isabella raised an eyebrow as Aro took the phone from his pocket and answered. "Demetri, dear one, what have you found."

Demetri's voice was clearly audible over the small speaker. "I have found them, Master. They are on the island of Elba."

Isabella clapped a hand to her forehead. "Elba, of course! They are attacking us here!"

Elba was a small island west of Italy. It was the perfect place to launch an attack on Volterra itself. They weren't just planning to attack the Volturi, they wanted the town itself. This was a huge risk of exposure. There were over ten thousand people living within the town limits. Thousands of video cameras and cell phones to record the slaughter. The secret would be lost forever; the world would see it all within hours.

"Master, what do you wish me to do." Demetri asked.

"We cannot allow them to come here," Aro said stonily.

"We won't." Isabella snatched the phone from Aro and spoke to Demetri. "Wait for us at Piombino. We shall be with you as soon as darkness falls."

She ended the call and tossed the phone back to Aro, then she turned her attention to the small group of guards at the door. "Prepare yourselves and your fellows. I want everyone to be ready to move at twilight." They nodded and darted out of the door. "Caius, you are staying here," she said firmly. "I will leave a small contingent of the guard here. I want you to be our second defense."

Caius looked unsure. "You are separating the guard. This is what they expect you to do."

"That is true, but I have no choice. If they make their way here I know you will defend our people."

I knew she wasn't thinking of the humans in the town; she was concerned for me. I wanted to be alone with her again. I want to beg her to stay here with me.

Aro and Caius rose from their thrones and began calling orders to the few guards that remained in the room. They were concerned with protecting their mates, just as Isabella was. Marcus alone was still seated. He stared at Isabella with an unnamable expression. It was close to scared.

Isabella turned her attention to Alice. "I need you to do something for me."

"Anything," Alice said immediately.

"Watch Maria and the castle. If anyone breaks through our line and heads for the castle, I want Aro to know immediately." She turned to Emmett. "If that happens, I want you to sling Jasper over your shoulder and get him out of here."

Emmett nodded solemnly. "Consider it done."

Isabella gifted him with one of her dazzling smiles. "Thank you."

She tugged on my arm and led me back through the halls to her chamber. Now I was finally alone with her I didn't know what to say that would not sound defensive. The idea of Emmett wrestling me to safety offended me.

"I know what you are thinking," she said, "and I understand it, but I make no apologies. If I am to concentrate on the fight, I need to know you are safe."

"I understand that, and I will do all I can to remain safe, but I want a promise from you in return. If the fight does not go in your favor, I want you to run too. If I am to keep myself safe for you, I want you to do the same."

She pressed herself against me and rested her head on my chest. "I promise."

We stood like that for an immeasurable time, gradually the sun outside of her window sank lower and the gloom of twilight took its place.

"It's time to go," she said quietly.

I pulled her a little closer to me and then released her. "I love you, Isabella. More than my own life."

She smiled. "I know."


	30. Chapter 30: Off To War

**~ Chapter Thirty — Off To War ~**

**Jasper POV**

I watched my love go off to war, and my heart broke. It physically pained me to watch her go, and I knew it would hurt me until the moment she was back in my arms again.

Our farewell at the door of the castle was simple and brief. She implored me to stay safe for her and I did the same. It was not the parting I wished for, but she was already changed. The mantle of leadership was upon her; she was a general leading her troops into war.

A small hand slipped into mine, and a hand clapped me on the shoulder. Alice and Edward had come for me.

"Are you okay?" Alice asked.

It was a stupid question, and I didn't bother to answer. I was far from okay, as was obvious.

Edward bumped my shoulder. "She'll be fine, you know."

"If it were Alice going off to fight, would you be as sure?"

He stiffened reflexively. "You make a good point. Is there anything we can do for you?"

I turned my attention to Alice. "You can follow their progress."

She shifted uncomfortably. "I told her I would look for Maria."

"And you can," I said reasonably. "But when you are not doing that, you can look for Demetri's path. I know you can't see Isabella if she is shielding herself, but you can at least see their reactions."

She and Edward exchanged a meaningful look and then she nodded. "I will do it, but I will watch Maria first. I made a promise and I don't want to break it."

I pulled her into my arms and embraced her fiercely, pressing a kiss to her spiky hair. "Thank you, Alice."

We walked together back to the throne room. It was crowded with my family and the remaining Volturi. Isabella had left Corin to appease the wives, and Santiago and Renata alone of the guards I knew by name to protect us. There were a dozen of the secondary guard here too. Despite the fact the castle was emptier than I had ever known it, it still felt claustrophobic to me. My anxiety for Isabella made me irascible and tense.

I paced the perimeter of the room, watched by the anxious eyes of my family. I kept my gift focused on Alice, wanting to know the moment her low anxiety shifted to something else portending trouble for us or Isabella.

On my umpteenth pass of the thrones, a hand snapped out and gripped my shoulder. I turned to see Marcus looking at me with a solemn expression. When he spoke it was in a calm tone that did not belie his emotional chaos. "Walk with me."

I had nothing better to do, so I followed him across the room and out of the door into the hall. When he tried to lead me out into the castle grounds I balked. I wanted to stay within range of Alice's emotional climate. He didn't speak, but led us to a stone bench set in a niche in the wall and sat down.

"You are afraid for her," he said. "But you need not be."

I scoffed. "Are you going to pretend you aren't scared too? I can feel your discomfort."

He shook his head slowly. "That is not worry for Isabella, but discomfort for what I am about to do."

"And what is it that you are about to do?" I tried not to show my own discomfort. Irrationally a vision of him attacking me fled through my mind.

"I am going to tell you the story of Isabella and I."

My attention suddenly snapped from Alice to Marcus. I had longed to know more about Isabella and Marcus' relationship, and now I had my chance.

"I know Isabella has told you some of her early years already, but I believe she has left out some salient details for my sake."

I nodded. "She has told me little of you."

He did not smile, but his tense features relaxed somewhat, lightening his expression. "That was good of her, but now it is time for you to know it all. I met Isabella over a millennia ago…"

As he spoke he created clear images in my eyes. I felt as if I was there with him as he met the woman he would one day love."

"Aro had taken the guard to England to deal with a coven of rule-breakers. I expected him home sooner than he arrived, and my anxiety was clear. It transpired that he was slower in returning as he had to accommodate a newborn vampire: Isabella. The moment I laid eyes on her I knew she was something special, though at that time, she was a very different woman to the one you know. She was scared and in pain. She has told you of the difficulty she has when feeding?"

I nodded.

"Well, we did not know it at the time. She was carried into the castle by Antonio—a guard that was with us at the time. Her clothes were stained with the blood of her latest kill, and that seemed to distress her considerably. Sulpicia and Athenodora scolded Aro for leaving her in such a state, and they took her to be attended to. When she returned, she was infinitely better groomed, but she was still extremely distressed.

"We assumed it was the pain of the thirst. You will well remember your early days to this life and the constant burn in your throat. Aro called for a meal to be brought to her. I paid little attention to Isabella during this time. I was still locked in my agony of grief following the death of my mate, Didyme."

As he spoke the name of his true love, his face became twisted with pain. I wanted to comfort him somehow, but I did not know how.

He shook his head briskly and continued his story. "When the meal arrived, Isabella became more distressed than ever. She tried to flee from the human, but Aro ordered her to be held. He said since her first feeding, upon the moment of her awakening, she had reacted like this to every offering of sustenance. Caius cut the throat of the human, and the blood flowed freely. As we knew it would, it tempted Isabella and the bloodlust was upon her. She fed rapidly, but as soon as she was finished she began to howl with pain.

"I had never seen anything like it, though I recognized it immediately for what it was. I had been the same when news of my Didyme's death reached me. Unconsciously, I rose from my throne and crouched at her side. She took one look at me and launched herself into my arms. She saw the same pain in me that she was feeling. It was in that moment that the binding of grief loosened and the first ribbons of love crept toward her. For the first time since my love's death, I was needed."

The first ribbons of love… With those words I knew how the story would end. I wasn't sure I wanted to hear more, but he gave me no choice.

"For a long time the same pattern was repeated. We would force Isabella to feed and she would suffer. For every feeding, I was there, and I was the one to comfort her when the pain took her after. The weeks passed and there was no improvement. In fact, there seemed to be a decline; she withdrew into herself even further. Eventually, it was Caius that wrested the truth from her. Until that moment Isabella had been practically mute, only giving voice to her pain following a feeding. He badgered her for days, trying to make her speak, and eventually, she did. She told us in her own halting way that the people she would feed from would hurt her mind.

"As I am sure you can imagine, we were confused. It was I that came up with the theory that eased her suffering. I ordered a human to be drained and the blood to be brought to Isabella in a flask. She fell upon the blood immediately and for the first time fed easily."

This was the moment Isabella had told me of. The time that she finally began to feel peace return to her.

"The years passed," he said, cutting his story shorter that I believed he intended to originally, "and Isabella thrived. She was still not the woman you know now, but she was better than ever before. As the years passed into centuries, I began to recognize her for what she really was." He took a deep steadying breath and looked me in the eye. "I loved her."

Though in some part of my mind I had always known this, I still felt a thrill of anger towards the ancient beside me. Isabella was mine, not his, to love. As if he had not noticed my reaction he continued.

"I believed she felt the same. She certainly sought my company more than my brothers. As she blossomed, I began to plan. Isabella was never a mere guard, and I knew her rightful place was in a throne at my side, but she never seemed to want that life. Finally, as the 1600s drew to a close, I made my move."

Again a thrill of anger swept through me. I didn't want to hear more, but I could not bring myself to walk away. This may be the most important conversation I would have since Isabella and I discussed our mating. I forced myself to listen.

"I called her away from the guard and walked with her in the castle grounds. I professed my love and begged of her to take me as her mate. I knew in my heart that there was only one mate for every vampire, and Didyme had been that for me, but I ignored the voices that whispered the truth in my mind."

He was selfish, I thought. He knew Isabella had a mate out in the world waiting for her, but he ignored that to satisfy himself.

"I was selfish," he said, echoing my thoughts. "And she knew it. She was scathing of my fumbling explanations and scolded me for my attempts to change our relationship. I became angry and shouted at her; I told her that I was not her father. She became angry in return. She accused me of wanting to curse her to a life alone. She, as you know, did not want to be mated. She had seen my suffering and feared that fate for herself."

I thought Isabella believed mating was to make oneself weak, now I understood the truth. She feared being left broken as Marcus had been. The pieces clicked together in my mind, and I wished she was there so I could embrace her. My poor silly Isabella, never seeing the positive in a situation, only focusing on the negative.

"She left me," he stated it coldly. The pain of the moment was still fresh in his mind. "She fled from me and my brothers. I feared I would never see her again."

"She came back, though," I said.

"Indeed. After three decades, she returned. She returned a different person. Before she left, Isabella was always a darker shade of the woman you know now. She took joy in the fight but little else. When she returned, she took joy in everything. I loved her more than ever."

My hands fisted in my lap. I had hoped, foolishly it seemed, that he would tell me his love had faded in her absence. It was not his place to love Isabella; she was mine.

"I did not attempt to press my case upon her return," he said. "I relegated my love for her to that of a companion for centuries. I believed she would never accept a mate, and that pleased me. And then…"

"Then I came," I said bitterly.

He nodded. "Then you came, and I was forced to make a choice. I could have one last attempt at sharing my love for her, or I could help to orchestrate your mating. I chose to aid you."

I had not expected that. I thought he was going to tell me of his one last stab at gaining her love for his own. I didn't know how to react. He seemed not to have noticed my shock. He continued his tale.

"I spoke with Eleazar and encouraged him to keep the truth from Isabella. I knew if she understood what you were, she would have fled from you. The rest of the story you know better than I. Your mating has been sealed and you are one. My place in her life has been replaced by you, and I am what she always wanted from me. I am a father."

"And do you feel like a father?"

He shook his head. "No, Jasper. I am not her father, and I never will be. I love Isabella as much as I did the day she threw herself into my arms for the first time. You need not fear me, though. I love her so much that my main priority is for her to be happy, and you make her happy."

"Why did you tell me this?" I asked.

"Because you deserved the truth. You suspected it already, I know. Now it has been confirmed."

We sat in silence for a long time as I tried to marshal my thoughts. I didn't know what to say to him. I supposed I should be grateful to him for his assistance, but the cruel bite of jealousy kept those feelings at bay. I didn't want to owe him anything, least of all thanks for bringing Isabella to me. In the end it did not matter that I could not find the words, as a sharp thrill of fear and then pain brought me running to Alice's side.

I cradled her face in my hands. "What is it?"

She gasped and shook off my hands. "Maria! It's a trap. She has Tanya, Kate and Irina hostage. If Isabella attacks, they will be killed."

A shudder swept through me. I loved the Denali sisters; they were family. More important that that was the fact I knew Isabella loved them, too.

"Someone has to warn her," Esme said fretfully. "She can't attack."

"I will go," Marcus said immediately.

"No! I will go." I said hurriedly.

Marcus clapped a hand on my shoulder. "Your job is to stay safe for Isabella. I am the right person for this job."

"And why is that?" I snapped. I felt that he was manipulating the situation to be with my Isabella, leaving me behind.

He smiled ruefully. "Because it is you she loves, not me."


	31. Chapter 31: Into The Fray

**~ Chapter Thirty-One — Into The Fray ~**

**Eleazar POV **

I tried with all my might, but I was unable to persuade Tanya and her sisters to join us in Volterra. The wounds left from their mother's demise were still raw, even a millennia after the incident. They swore that they would leave Alaska for Russia that night. So, with a heavy heart, Carmen and I left for the airport.

Our flight and journey into Volterra passed in almost silence. I was lost in thought of the battle Isabella was heading into, and Carmen sensed my distraction. I hoped I would reach the castle before Isabella set out. I wanted to at least have a chance to speak to her before she went to fight.

As we passed into the town limits, I felt my nerves reach a new level of anxiety. I never thought, when I left here all those years ago, that I would return, not least of all with Carmen at my side. I trusted Isabella though, if she said we needed to be here for safety, I believed her.

We were almost at the castle when I heard the soft footsteps of one of my kind.

"Eleazar, my old friend, it is good to see you." Marcus stepped out from behind a wall.

I smiled widely. Of the three ancients, Marcus was always the one I felt real kinship with. He was a good man. My smile faded as I saw his the tense set of his shoulders and his dour expression.

"What has happened?" I asked.

"I'm afraid I have grave news. Tanya and her sisters have been taken by Maria."

A thrill of horror swept through me. Carmen gasped and clutched a hand to her throat.

"No."

Marcus nodded solemnly "Indeed. The psychic saw it. They are now, or shortly will be, with the rest of Stefan and Vladimir's army. They are hoping to trap Isabella."

I knew what he meant well enough. Isabella was fond of Tanya and her sisters. If she thought they were in danger her focus would be split, making her an easier target for their attacks.

"I am going to her now," Marcus continued oblivious to my inner turmoil. "I hope I can reach her before she launches her attack."

"But what will you tell her?" Carmen asked hotly. "What do you expect her to do. We all know Isabella well enough to know their plan will work."

Marcus stiffened. He was not used to such forwardness from anyone but Isabella. "I intend to remind her of the fact she does not fight for her life alone, now."

"You mean she should sacrifice Tanya, Kate and Irina to protect herself." Carmen asked.

"I mean that she should not allow her hot head to overcome her," Marcus said serenely. "She has vast numbers with her. If she strategizes, there is no reason they shouldn't all make it out of the fray."

He did not mean all of their army. Some would be lost. Such was the nature of war. But if Isabella, Tanya, Kate, and Irina made it out of the fight, my mind would be at peace.

"I want to come with you," I said. Despite the fact Tanya led our coven, I felt a certain responsibility to protect them. If the situation was reversed they would come to me.

I expected Marcus to argue, but her merely nodded and said," Very well."

I took Carmen into my arms and kissed her fervently. "Go to the castle. There you will be safe."

She looked me deep in the eye for a moment and then, seeing the resolve in my face, she nodded and flitted away in the direction of the castle.

Marcus watched her go and then turned to me. "Well, my old friend, I believe you and I are going to war."

Under the cover of darkness we were able to reach greater speeds than Isabella and her amassed troops would have been capable of.

Our speed was not enough, however. When we reached Piombino Isabella had already left. We were too late.

xXx

**Isabella POV**

We were delayed by the humans. I was travelling among fifty other vampires and it made traversing the small towns dotted along our journey complicated. I considered taking cars, but a convoy the size of ours would have drawn attention, too.

It was almost midnight by the time we reached the port of Piombino. The humans were less populous here but still present. They ambled along the docks, enjoying late night promenades after their evenings activities.

I followed Demetri's scent path and found him and the dozen guards he had taken with him lurking in a alley unobtrusively.

He greeted me with a low bow. "Isabella."

"Demetri." I spoke formally, then ruined the affect by taking his hand in my own and squeezing it. I would never admit it to anyone, except perhaps Jasper, but I was nervous. I had never led a guard of this size alone before. Added to that was the fact we were heading into the greatest fight there had been since the Romanians had been overthrown. I was distinctly uncomfortable.

I led him back to where I had left my guard in a small deserted area surrounded by warehouses which would be the perfect place for us to enter the water.

For the first time, I was able to see our number as one, and it relaxed me somewhat. It was a formidable sight. Fifty vampires primed and ready for the fight. The Romanians newborns didn't stand a chance.

I had left Alec at the castle as his gift against the shield was useless and I was sure she would be here among the army.

"The army is at the foot of Mount Capanne," Demetri said.

I nodded. "I would have expected as much."

Stefan and Vladimir had left the Carpathian mountain range, but they sought out a similar environment for their lair now. They were as predictable as ever.

"Follow me," I called out to the amassed guard and stepped in to the waves.

I allowed the current to draw me deep underwater, concealing me from human eyes. We moved like sharks, skimming through the deep water with ease. There was no need to surface to check our course, I could see clearly through the water to the shadow that was Elba's shores.

When we reached the rocky beach of the island, I rose to almost to the surface and scanned the area for human eyes. There were none here; we had arrived on the sparsely inhabited east shore. We came out of the waves quickly and hurried to the cover of one of the small copses of trees that covered the island.

The island was sparsely inhabited, and due to the hour, we were able to move at greater speeds than we had been before. Soon, we could see Mount Capanne looming over the horizon.

I called the guard to a halt and turned to look at them. I had never commanded a group of this size before and had to take several deep breaths before I found my voice. "You will advance calmly and with dignity." My voice carried clearly over the still night air. "You will remember who we are and whom you are serving. We do not race into the fray like the newborns we face." I took another deep breath and issued my last order. "You will destroy this threat."

A ringing cheer followed my words. I had roused them into a frenzy which, of course, was exactly what I had wanted to do. We were so loud that surely the Romanians and their army would have heard us and would know we were on our way. Seeing no need to delay further, I turned on my heel and waited as the group fell into formation. When they had positioned themselves around me I began walking at the slow steady pace tradition dictated.

As we approached the Romanians new lair, the sounds of the newborns could be heard. There was a great deal of snarling and growling coming from them. There was also the thick scent of blood. The population of Elba had clearly suffered for the Romanian's presence. I hoped they had at least been careful in their hunting practices. I had no desire to massacre more humans to protect our secret.

My nerves disappeared as we drew closer to the mountain. I felt a surreal calm take over me. This was where I thrived—leading others into battle. I had found my joy and my home with Jasper, but heading to war I was more myself than ever before. I sped my pace a little, as did the vampires around me. We were ready.

As we broke through the trees into the vast clearing created by supernatural means at the foot of the mountain, the newborns stilled their movements. I made a hurried examination of the scene. There were over forty vampires. It was more than I was expecting, but still less than my own assembled guard. Stefan and Vladimir were standing at the very rear beside three other vampires whose attention was fixed on something I could not see through the mass of vampires. Maria was beside them, and it was her that spoke first.

"Isabella, it is wonderful to see you again. I see you have not brought your newfound mate with you. It is a pity. I was hoping to see my former lieutenant again. No matter. Once I have dealt with you I shall pay him a visit."

I hated to hear her speak of Jasper. It sent a wave of fury through me, but I quashed it before it could register on my features.

"You will not touch him," I said stonily.

"Ahh, but Isabella, I already have." She smiled cruelly. "Many times in many ways. I am sure you have learned he is well educated in the ways of pleasing women. I was his tutor."

Her words were intended to injure, but they did not. I knew Jasper's history and I knew what she had been to him. It did not concern me that she had carnal knowledge of my love.

"Then as his tutor, I must thank you," I said guilelessly. "I appreciate all the hard work you must have put in."

Felix sniggered beside me. I quelled him with a look.

"Enough of this," Stefan snapped. "Let us introduce our guests."

The newborns parted and I saw the object of focus for the three vampires I had noticed before. Kneeling at their feet were Tanya, Kate and Irina. They were silent as each of them was pinned in place by mammoth newborns with one hand at their throats. A simple twist of the hand and they would be slain. They stared up at me with fearful eyes.

"You see how we have brought old friends together," Stefan said mockingly. The girls that detest the Volturi are now at its mercy."

Vladimir spoke up. "We offer you a bargain. We will release the Denali females into your care in exchange for your surrender, Isabella. You will join with us and we shall lead our world as a trio."

"You must know we are the better option to those Italian scum you are now with now," Stefan said. "They will never truly accept you as one of them. We will."

I had no desire to be accepted as one of the ancients; that was never my place, and I had always known it, though they disagreed. Stefan and Vladimir did not know me at all. They thought I would hunger for the power they offered. They couldn't be more wrong. Though the thought of sacrificing Tanya and her sisters to win this fight was equally as repugnant.

_You could end it all if you retired from the fight now,_ a small voice whispered in my mind.

"You have nothing to lose, and everything to gain," Stefan crooned.

"That is where you are wrong." A voice rang out behind me and I turned to see Marcus and Eleazar stepping through a created space in the guard. "She still has something to lose: Jasper."

His name worked as a stimulant. I could not resign now; he was exactly what I was fighting for. I locked eyes with Tanya and spoke in a clear confident tone. "You will be fine." That said I addressed the guard amassed behind me. "We fight."

As one, we surged forward and into the fray.


	32. Chapter 32 Grief

**~ Chapter Thirty-Two — Grief ~**

**Isabella POV**

Roaring and snarling with battle lust, we surged forward as one. The newborns reacted instinctively, shrinking back from us.

Maria's voice called over their shouts and screams even as the first of her troops fell foul to our army. "Fight, you cowards!"

Her words worked on some level. The newborns stopped shrinking away and began to attack us in turn. I ran forward through the battling vampires to where Tanya, Kate and Irina were being held hostage. Marcus and Eleazar were right behind me.

Demetri rushed ahead of me and launched himself at Maria. They collided with the force of racing cars, creating a echoing bang that swept over the clearing.

To our great benefit, and Maria's folly, the newborns she had selected were not intellectually gifted. They continued to hold Tanya and her sisters in their grip, but did not make the final move that would decapitate them. A decapitation would be unfortunate, but not the worst thing that could happen.

I paid no attention to the fights around me. All my attention was focused on getting to Tanya and her sisters before they could be slain.

I crashed into the vampire holding Tanya and knocked him to the floor. He snarled at me and growled, but with a swift run of my teeth against his neck he was silenced.

Marcus and Eleazar had copied my actions with the vampires holding Kate and Irina, decapitating them; they were busy checking over Tanya, Kate and Irina for sign of injury.

"Not now!" I hissed between my teeth.

The battle around us was growing ever more desperate. The island's inhabitants would think there was a fierce storm here, as the sounds of our fight was like claps of thunder. All across the clearing, pieces of vampires twitched and crept back towards their fallen owner. There were no fires burning, for which I was grateful. It was one of my rules of combat. As long as a vampire had not been burned we could save them. It was a risk, as a dismembered enemy could repair themselves, but that took time. I forbade fires in battles until the very end. I alone was armed with the igniter that Caius created. It looked like the Romanian newborns either did not know, or did not care that fire was necessary to destroy us.

Tanya was clasping hands with her sisters. I could see the marks of her capture on her arms and neck. She had been bitten many times. She looked thoroughly shell-shocked. I gripped her face in my hands and gave her a sharp shake. "Listen to me, Tanya!" I snapped. "You must go to the coast and into the water. You will find our scent path. Go to the castle."

She began to speak but I cut her off.

"Do as I say. Go to the castle and to Carlisle. He will take care of you."

"I w–w–want to fight," she stuttered.

"You are a liability," I said coolly. "You have suffered too much, now—"

My words were cut off as someone collided with me and knocked me to the floor.

"Don't go anywhere," a cruel voice hissed. "We haven't nearly finished playing with you."

Maria! I leapt to my feet and searched for a sign of Demetri. With a thrill of horror I recognized one of the disembodied heads rolling across the grass as his own. This was too much.

"Go!" I shouted to Tanya, and began circling Maria. Marcus and Eleazar were no good to me. They were each locked in combat with a vampire of their own.

Maria feinted left and came at my right side. She was powerful and gifted in combat, but I was better. I caught her arm as she passed and yanked her wrist back, breaking her hand away from her arm. She shrieked in pain and I reveled in the sound.

"Isabella!" Jane screamed my name but I could not go to her now. Maria injured was more dangerous than if she were well. She came at me again and I dodged her reaching hand with a laugh.

"You're getting old, Maria, out of practice."

She screamed inarticulately in response. I allowed her to come at me again and I caught her hair as she passed and dragged back her head. I was tempted to prolong the moment, but the battle still waged around me and I was needed elsewhere. I gripped her head in my hands and run my teeth across her throat. With an anticlimactic thud her head fell to the ground. I kicked it away from me.

Freed of my opponent, I turned my attention to the rest of the combatants surrounding me. There were many slain on the ground. Some in the rough dirty clothing of the Romanians army, and others in the grey cloaks of the Volturi. I recognized the dark cloak of Demetri on one body and I dragged it away from the fray and hid it behind a heavy boulder, then returned with his head. He would be safe there.

The newborns Marcus and Eleazar had been fighting were slain and piled. I could see Eleazar fighting a newborn a short distance away, but Marcus was nowhere to be seen.

I searched for Jane and saw her locked in combat with the shield that had foiled our last fight. Rage surged in me at the sight of her. This was the woman that had made me a coward.

Running forward I tackled her to the ground. She was not merely gifted mentally, she was a ferocious fighter, too. No matter where I aimed my blows she dodged them. I could see now why Jane had called for me; she was no great fighter. She had relied on her gift for too long.

With a kick to my chest, I was knocked to the floor. The shield bore down on me, teeth bared. For the second time in my life, I prepared myself for death and called to mind the image of my Jasper's face to ease my passage.

"I'm so sorry, love," I whispered.

Suddenly, she was yanked backwards from me and thrown to the floor. I looked for my savior and saw a shock of red hair.

"Tomas!" I gasped.

"I'm sorry, Isabella," he said fervently. "I didn't mean to tell them, but they forced me."

Standing behind him, clutching his arm, was a petite female I assumed was his Lucy. I was momentarily torn. By Volturi law he was a traitor and must be killed for it, but he had saved me from certain death.

"Run, Tomas," I hissed. "Run from this place and never look back."

He nodded jerkily and he and his mate ran away toward the trees.

Someone had started a fire, and already the cloying scent of burning vampire hung over the clearing. The smell repulsed me as the sight of the purple smoke infuriated me. I threw myself back into the fray.

There was no way of telling how many of my army had been slain and how many of the Romanians'. The confusion of battle was great. I did not trouble myself trying to calculate our loss. I focused instead on the immediate fight around me. A large newborn in tattered jeans and a sweatshirt drenched in human blood charged at me. I dodged its attack by stepping sideways and tugged on its arm as it passed. It tore away at the socket. I used the detached arms as a cudgel to beat at the vampire's face. Physically it would do nothing to it, but mentally it would be torturous.

I was actually beginning to enjoy myself when a pain filled cry caught my attention. I turned to see Chelsea kneeling on the ground cradling the decapitated head of Afton in her arms. Her keening cries were heart wrenching. I left the disabled vampire and hastened to her side.

"They killed him, Isabella," she moaned.

"Stop this!" I slapped her cheek. "He is not dead yet. Find his body and we can save him."

I don't know why I did it, why I was so distracted by Chelsea's pain when I cared little for her, but something in her desperation tore at my heart. It split my focus and made me vulnerable. I shook off my stupor and slapped her again. "Focus, Chelsea. Find his body and take him somewhere safe to mend."

She clambered ungracefully to her feet, still cradling Afton's head in her arms, and began searching for a sign of the ashy cloak Afton wore.

Another newborn came at me, and I began to fight once again. This one was young and had considerable strength but no finesse. I was able to best him with a few well placed blows and soon my teeth were making the familiar swoop across the neck.

I turned and search the clearing for another opponent, but something else drew my attention. A soft voice spoke my name like a sigh. There was no reason I should have been able to hear it over the roars and snarls filling the clearing but hear it I did. Perhaps it was the decades of friendship and love that made it audible to me.

I spun on my heel and spotted the person calling me just in time to see his decapitated head being thrown into the flames. Icy horror swept through me and a howl of misery passed my lips.

"Marcus!"

I ran towards the flames, caring nothing for the fight still waging around me. All my focus was on the flames consuming the head of my oldest friend. Arms caught me around the waist and held me back. I screamed in fury. I did not want to be stopped; I wanted to save Marcus.

"It's too late, Isabella," Eleazar's voice crooned in my ear. "He's gone."

"No!" I screeched. "There is still time."

Time for what I did not know. The rational part of me knew it was too late to do anything. Even as I watched, I saw Marcus' body being tossed into the fire. I watched the flames licking at his flesh turning all to ash. Part of me died with him. I felt a splinter of my heart break away and turn to ash too. Marcus was gone. My oldest friend, my closest confidante, had been stolen away from me. My shoulders began to shake with sobs and I became limp in Eleazar's arms. He eased me to the ground and cradled me in his arms. The sounds of battle still waged around us, but it seemed unimportant now in the face of our loss.

Suddenly, Eleazar's arms were torn away from me as a trio of newborns fell upon us. I leapt to my feet, my grief not forgotten but relegated in my mind for the moment, and threw myself into the fight once again.

Marcus' death created a burning thirst for revenge inside of me. My blows landed harder than ever and my teeth were soon at the throat of my attacker. When he fell I threw him onto the fire and turned searching for more victims.

My teeth sought and found more enemies for me to slay. More than once I found myself preparing for the killing blow only to recognize the ashy cloaks of my allies at the last moment. I cared little for who fell at my hands though, and many a limb was torn away wearing the colors of my brothers in arms. They would heal, Marcus wouldn't.

The fight was almost over. I could see many of my army locked in combat, but there were others that were occupying themselves with the healing of others and feeding the fires with the slain Romanians.

Eyes caught mine over the clearing, and I saw Eleazar's grave face. He seemed to be saying something to me but I was distracted by the newborn approaching him from behind.

"Eleazar!" I screamed his name, but it was too late. The newborn was at his throat. With a thrill of horror I saw his head fall away and land on the grass with an inconsequential thud.

I tried to run forward to rescue him before the flames took him as they had Marcus, but I couldn't more. Someone's arms were locked around my chest and hot breath was at my neck.

I felt teeth cut through my skin.


	33. Chapter 33: Fallen

**~ Chapter Thirty-Three — Fallen ~**

**Jasper POV**

I waited. Just as I had since the moment she left me. I waited for news, I waited for an attack, but most of all I waited to have her back in my arms.

As the hours passed, much happened, though little of it mattered to me. Carmen arrived, telling of Eleazar's journey with Marcus, then later Tanya, Kate and Irina came. I paid attention to them as they had news of Isabella. She had rescued them from their captors and had gone into the fray once again. This news brought me small comfort. She was at least alive.

I stayed in the throne room with the others at first, but soon the tension became too great for me to bear. I went to the balcony in Isabella's quarters and waited there. I was not alone long. Soon Alice and Edward joined me, and then Carlisle, Esme, Rosalie, Emmett, Aro and Caius.

We spoke only when Alice would give us an update on their progress, such as when Demetri fell. Aro and Caius did not take the news well, but they contained themselves with dignity borne of millennias' practice.

All was silent among us when Alice gasped suddenly. Edward braced her shoulders and watched with her as whatever unknown future it was passed through her mind.

When she came back to herself she looked at me with wide, shock-filled eyes.

"What is it!" I demanded. "What's happened?"

"Maria. She's dead."

I breathed out in a gust of relief. "I feared it was Isabella," I admitted.

"It was in a way," Alice said. "I heard her voice just before Maria's future cut off."

I pondered over that for a moment. I expected to feel some regret to hear that my maker had met her end, but I felt nothing. Whatever had happened, Maria deserved it.

Aro took Alice's hand in his own and sifted through her memories to see Maria's demise. "Ahhh, Isabella," he said fondly. "She must be enjoying herself immensely."

"I have to admit this darkness that blocks Isabella from sight is an inconvenience," Edward said blithely. "It would be interesting to see her operate in the field of battle."

"What stories I could tell you." Caius smiled fondly. "There was once a nomad that irked her. She took him and…"

The atmosphere changed. Now it was akin to that of humans at a sporting event. The anticipation and excitement made me uncomfortable and I wished I had been left alone in my sanctuary. I did all I could to block out their voices and concentrated on Alice's emotions.

I had forewarning of her news when she told of Afton's demise as I felt her jolt of shock. Aro and Caius seemed supremely unconcerned by the news. They seemed more worried about Chelsea's reaction.

"All may not be lost," Aro said. "If he is not burned they will be able to heal him."

A conversation ensued about the healing abilities of a vampire. Carlisle was in his element discussing the effects of decapitation. They were wondering whether or not a vampire could still feel if its head had departed company with its body.

The topic made me uneasy. I didn't like to think of these things while my love was out there fighting. I pushed past them and out of the door leading to the halls. I met with Tanya and Kate on my way out but I ignored the questions they called after me. I was feeling claustrophobic and constricted; I wanted nothing more than to be alone.

I made my way out through the tunnels and to the courtyard in front of the castle. I drew in deep lungfuls of clean air and felt my discomfort ease out of me. Perhaps sensing my need, or because they did not like to be there without Isabella or my presence, the others left the balcony and retreated into the castle.

I allowed my mind to wander over my fondest memories of Isabella as I waited. Once she returned to me we would go away together for a while. As the family had fled Forks so suddenly our charade would not matter. Isabella and I could start our travels earlier that we had planned.

I thought back to our encounter with the wolf. Edward had known Alice was in danger as he had felt her fear. Carlisle had been intrigued by the phenomenon and had been researching it with Aro since his arrival in the city. I wondered if I could create the same link to Isabella. I concentrated on my gift and allowed it to flow out of me hoping to link to Isabella. It did not work. There was too great a distance between us, and too much emotion in the immediate vicinity for me to focus.

Suddenly, I felt a wave of desperate sadness, and heard a howl from the castle. I was instantly panicked, and I raced up the side of the castle and onto the balcony. I cared not if any human saw me. I was scared of the sound I had heard and what it could portend.

I raced through the halls and into the throne room. People were standing in a circle around the thrones. Carlisle and Esme were locked in an embrace. Carlisle looked stunned.

"Who?" I gasped.

"Marcus," Edward whispered. "He has been burned."

I rocked back on my heels. Marcus, who only hours ago had spoken with me and told me the story of his love for Isabella, was gone. Dead. The shock and horror of the moment settled over me like a cloak.

"Isabella will be distraught," someone murmured.

With that thought came a chill of terror. She _would _be distraught. Overcome with grief. Could she still protect herself if she was distracted by the pain of Marcus' passing? Would she risk herself to avenge him?

Strong hands clasped my shoulders and I looked up into Aro's face. "She'll be okay, Jasper. Trust in her."

"I'm trying," I choked.

He smiled understandingly. "Forgive me, but I have known Isabella a very long time, much longer than you. Believe me when I say she will be even more dangerous than before in light of Marcus' death. I pity anyone that crosses her path."

I tried to take comfort in his words, but was not wholly successful. The room was thick with sadness and tension. It felt like I was being physically swamped with the emotion. Feeling like a coward I slipped from the room and went back to Isabella's room. I stood at the balustrade and searched the horizon for any sign of my returning love.

Some time later—I did not take care to follow the hours—I heard a feminine scream of unimaginable pain. I knew not who made the sound. I made my trudging way back to the throne room to hear the latest catastrophe. I had no fear for Isabella, no woman here cared for her enough to make that sound.

It was immediately clear who had fallen as I walked through the ornate doors. Carmen was knelt on the floor with her head pressed against the stone slabs. She was crying, great keening sobs that were heartbreaking to hear.

Eleazar was gone.

xXx

The fight was long over. Alice had seen the last of the newborns being dealt with and the army returning to Volterra. Though the battle was won, there was no celebration within the castle walls. Eleazar's loss seemed to take the last of the mirth from the day. The throne room had become a wake for the fallen as we waited for the survivors to return to us.

Alice had good news for us as she saw what remained of the army making their way onto the dock of Piombino: Eleazar had lived. Carmen was elated at the news and wanted to run to him immediately, but Aro forbade it. The sun was coming up and exposure was a risk. I felt and shared Carmen's frustration. I wanted to run to them now, too.

She did not see nor hear anything of Isabella, but that did not overly worry me. She was always blocked to Alice's sight and I doubted she was feeling very vocal in light of Marcus' death. I wondered what form of Isabella would return to me. Would grief have stolen the lightness from her or would her desire for revenge have been sated in the fight.

They came as the dawn began to light the sky. A fast procession of figures passing over the countryside surrounding the castle. I could see no faces at they all wore their hoods over their heads to cover their faces which the sun illuminated.

I wanted to race to Isabella's side, but by the time I reached her bedroom and retrieved one of her spare cloaks to hide me from the sun they had already reached the tunnel entrance. Allowing myself a little dignity for a change, I made my way to the throne room to wait.

The first to pass through the heavy doors was Eleazar. Carmen threw herself into his arms. They embraced, each talking over the other in their native Spanish. The relief of the moment was overwhelming. Carmen tore away his ashy cloak and threw it to the floor. I saw the evidence of his survival. Around his throat and disappearing into his hairline was a thin scar.

As pleased as I was by his survival I paid him only a passing glance as I was searching the room for a sign of my Isabella. There were still many people streaming into the room and falling into the arms of loved ones, so I had difficulty finding her small frame among them. Not once did it cross my mind that she wouldn't be there.

I grew impatient for our reunion and shouted over the chaos of the room. "Isabella!"

Eleazar turn to look at me with horrorstruck eyes. He extricated himself from Carmen's grip with difficulty and made his way over to me slowly.

Fear began to creep into my heart. "Where is Isabella?"

"Jasper, I am so sorry," he said in a voice heavy with sadness. "I tried. I swear I tried."

Alice gasped and I heard a choked sob from the direction of the thrones. I cared not who was making the sounds. All that mattered was that Eleazar told me where Isabella was.

"Where is she?" I demanded.

He shook his head slowly. "I am so sorry, Jasper."

"Stop saying that!" I snapped. "Tell me where Isabella is!"

"She's gone."

My knees buckled beneath me and I found my face pressed to the stone floor. Somewhere I could hear a keening howl. It took me a moment to recognize the sound as my own. I made no effort to halt the noise. My Isabella was gone. Nothing mattered now.

I felt hands gripping my shoulders and someone's breath at my ear speaking incomprehensible words. I snarled at them to leave me alone, but they did not. I couldn't bear to be touched. I leapt to my feet and threw the figures away from me. I saw, with a small pang of guilt, Alice fly away from me to collide with the wall. Edward shouted something, but I ignored him. I dropped into a crouch ready to attack the next person that attempted to touch me.

Fixing my attention on Eleazar I spoke in a low growl. "Tell me _exactly_ what happened."

He eyed me warily. "I did not see it all. I fell at the same moment she was attacked. It was the shield. She caught Isabella from behind. When I was made whole again she was gone. There were fires everywhere, and we found this." He held out a scrap of cloth with charred edges.

I took it from him and examined it. It was a piece of the inky, black cloak Isabella had worn when I saw her last. I cradled it in my hands as if it was living thing. Here was proof. Proof that my Isabella was gone.

I ran from the room and through the halls to Isabella's chambers. Flinging myself down on the bed I curled into a ball, clutching the scrap of Isabella's robes in my hands.

A howl built in my chest and passed up through my throat against my will.

"Isabella!"


	34. Chapter 34: We Fight

**~ Chapter Thirty-Four — We Will Fight ~**

**Isabella POV**

Thr first thing I was aware of was burning pain at my throat. I tried to open my mouth to scream but was unable to move my lips. I felt detached from my body, as if I was no more than disembodied thought.

The pain at my throat faded mercifully and my senses returned. I could feel the wind on my face and the stony ground beneath me, but I still felt oddly detached, almost as if I was incomplete. I only had a moment to ponder this before other pains came. My shoulders burned and then my elbows and wrists. I had not felt pain like this since my change. I locked my teeth shut to prevent the howls of pain from coming forth.

A soft voice spoke beside me and a hand stroked my cheek. "I am so sorry, Isabella. It's almost over now."

The voice was wrong. The pain was not lessening. It was increasing. Now there was burning at my hips and knees. When the pain reached my ankles I screamed. It was too much to bear.

As the pain flared and scorched. I recognized the sensation. I had felt it after the destruction of the nomad in Seattle, but it was not of the same scale as then. I had been dismembered and now my limbs were being reattached. With realization came memory. The last thing I remembered was seeing Eleazar being decapitated and then I had felt teeth at my neck. Could Eleazar have been spared the burning too or had I lost another friend today. The thought of Eleazar brought with it thoughts of Marcus. He was gone. I had seen him flung into the flames. My greatest friend was lost because he came to warn me. My poor Marcus.

The pain ceased, but I remained silent and still staring into the darkness of my closed eyelids.

"Isabella, can you open your eyes," the voice asked.

I felt sure I could, but I wasn't sure I wanted to. I didn't know if I was ready to face the world again, as it was a world without Marcus in it. I was happy to stay here in this darkness forever. But I couldn't there was something more important than my own life at stake. I understood it, but my disconnected thoughts made it hard to remember what it was.

"Maybe we did something wrong."

"No, I told you, I've seen Maria do this before," a second voice answered. This voice was female.

"Only with an arm. Maybe you can't heal them when they are injured like this."

My thoughts were coming clearer now; the intangible something I had to fight for was still creeping at the edge of my memories though, refusing to come to the forefront of my mind. Then with a burst of understanding it was there.

My eyes flew open and I jolted upright. "Jasper!"

"Take it easy."

I turned and saw Tomas kneeling beside me, standing behind him was Lucy.

"How do you feel?" he asked.

"I'm fine," I said brushing off his assisting hand and getting to my feet. "Where is Jasper?"

He looked confused. "I haven't seen him. Was he here?"

I considered the question carefully. No, he hadn't been here. I had forced him to stay safe at the castle.

I shook my head. "No, he's not here. Where is here?" I looked around at my rocky surroundings.

"We're in the cave the bosses used," Tomas explained.

The bosses. He had to mean Stefan and Vladimir. I wondered what had happened to them. I hadn't seen them since the beginning of the fight. Were they still lurking here somewhere or had they already fled back to Romania in the wake of our victory.

"Where are Stefan and Vladimir?" I asked.

"We haven't seen them since the fight started," Tomas said. "We were hiding and watching."

Wherever they were was unimportant now. What mattered was that I got back to Jasper as soon as I could. "How did I come to be here?" I asked.

"We saw Shelly take you down and we came out and attacked her," Lucy said matter–of-factly. "Tomas killed her and then we brought you here."

"And no one saw you?" I asked with trepidation. If no one had seen me carried away and if the survivors had returned to the castle already, Jasper may know of my apparent demise. The thought of how he would be suffering made a sob creep up my throat. I swallowed it with determination. Now was not the time to break down.

"I don't think so," Tomas said. "They were all busy fighting the last of us. You won by the way."

"Everyone we knew was burned," Lucy said with a hint of accusation.

"As well they should be," I said without heat. "They plotted against us and killed one of my closest friends. They are lucky they were burned. I would have created a better punishment for them."

Both Tomas and Lucy looked uneasy at my declaration. I decided it was high time I left. Jasper needed me.

"Well, thank you for your assistance, I appreciate it." My simple thanks seemed inconsequential given that they had saved my life and therefore Jasper's, but there was nothing else to be said. I set off out of the cave and into the dazzling light of day.

The cave was only two hundred yards from where the battle had waged. There were small piles of ash spread across the ground from fallen vampires. The sight of such loss of life was abhorrent to me. I wondered idly which was Marcus'. I would have liked to return his ashes to the castle. I could not be sure though, and I decided that to leave him where he had fallen in battle was more honorable.

The sun was bright above me, casting a shimmer of light on my skin. I would have to take care making my way through the populated areas if I was not to expose the secret. Such care irked me as I wanted nothing more than to run to Jasper's side.

I readjusted my clothes to cover as much skin as I could and began the slow trudge home.

xXx

**Jasper POV**

I remained curled in the centre of Isabella's bed with my eyes squeezed shut. If I really tried, I could pretend she was here with me, surrounded by her scent as I was.

I would have been content to stay there alone forever if not for the pain. It started a few hours after I learned of Isabella's death. It began at my throat and spread down my body at my joints. I wondered idly what could be happening to me. I theorized that it was the physical effects of the broken mating bond. There was no one I cared to ask though. The only person I knew that had suffered through the loss of his mate was now dead.

In the throes of my pain, I found new understanding of Isabella. No wonder she had been so against the mating if this was the price. But despite the pain, I could not regret the time I had with her. It was worth the pain for the few months of joy I had with her.

I couldn't bear to lie still while the pain was raging so I stood and began pacing the room. I felt like a caged animal, even through the doors to the balcony were flung open.

Time passed and people came and went. I heard them speaking about me as if I was not there. Esme was worried that I was losing my mind. If I could have drawn forth the effort needed to speak, I would have told her she was wrong. My mind wasn't the problem; it was my heart that I had lost.

After a time, the pain faded and went. I felt more bereft than ever at its loss. If my theory was correct and it was the mating bond that hurt me, it meant that my last connection to Isabella was gone. That understanding was enough to bring forth a new wave of desperation.

I flung myself down on the bed again and considered my situation. The pain in my body had faded, but the pain in my heart was as potent as ever. Was this to be my life from now on? A constant state of agony. I couldn't bear to think of it. But my other option seemed cowardly. I could end my existence in hopes of seeing Isabella again, but that could cast me into the eternal oblivion, or worse, Hell.

"There is another option."

I started. I hadn't heard Edward's approach, so consumed by my thoughts as I was. He now stood leaning against the doorframe.

"What option?" I asked.

"Revenge. You can end your existence, and thereby dishonor Isabella, or—"

I cut him off with a low growl. "Dishonor? I would never—"

"You would. If you died, you would be spitting on her grave. Isabella was against mating for this very reason. What do you think she would say if she knew you gave up so easily?"

"She would understand." But even as I said it I wondered if she really would. Isabella's life had been dedicated to the protection of our kind and the secret.

Edward nodded, evidently following the direction of my thoughts.

"If the situation was reversed, she would never seek death. She would want keep fighting to protect."

I sighed in resignation. He was right, of course, but I didn't know what that meant for me. Was I to join the Volturi and dedicate my life to protecting the secret as she would have done?

Edward shook his head. "She wouldn't want that either. What she would want is revenge."

"Who is there left to kill?" I asked. "Their army was destroyed. Even Maria is dead."

"There is the people that orchestrated it all."

I hissed. "Stefan and Vladimir!"

He nodded approvingly. "Exactly. They were the ones that started this whole mess. They are the ones that have to pay. And I am offering my services as your wingman. I think Emmett will want to come along too."

Of course he would want to come. They all would. But they couldn't. This was my fight alone. I needed the assistance of only one person. Demetri.

I ran past Edward and through the door, calling Demetri's name. He met me in the receptionist's lobby.

"What is it?" he asked, rubbing uncomfortably at the scar on his neck. He too had been dismembered but someone had protected him from the flames. It seemed unfair that so many had been hurt as Isabella had but they survived while my love was lost.

"I need to know where Stefan and Vladimir are."

He looked uncomfortable. "You're going after them?"

It was not a question, but a statement. I quirked an eyebrow; I didn't understand why he looked so uncomfortable.

"He is worried that his master will not approve," Edward said scathingly.

Rage built in me toward the Volturi. I shoved Demetri against the wall and pinned him there with one hand at his throat. "You think I give a damn what your masters want anymore? Tell me you don't want revenge, too; tell me that you aren't grieving for Isabella, too."

"I can't," he said solemnly. "They deserve death, but my first duty is to the Volturi. That is how it has always been, for Isabella too."

I released him, seeing the truth in his words. If I was to have his assistance I needed Aro and Caius' approval. If they refused to give it I would find Stefan and Vladimir alone.

I made my way to the throne room. As I walked through the door, I was momentarily halted in my tracks by the sight before me. Isabella and Marcus' thrones were draped in black velvet. The throne that had brought home to me just who Isabella was, now displayed the physical proof of her absence. My family were gathered in the room, and they looked up with evident relief when they saw me. I nodded to them curtly and then made my way to Aro. He looked dreadful. Deep lines of sadness were etched upon his brow and the light that always sparked in his eyes was extinguished. I had forgotten in my own misery that Isabella was loved by more than just me.

"Jasper," he said softly. "I cannot express how deep my sadness is for our loss, but let me offer you my condolences."

"Thank you, Aro," I said stiffly. "I come with a request."

He nodded understandingly. "I expected as much, and I am afraid I must refuse you. Isabella would never want you to—"

"You misunderstand me," I said, extending my hand, "I do not come seeking death. I come seeking assistance."

He took my hand and bowed his head as he searched through my memories. There was a wealth of information there for him. Months of memories of Isabella. I knew when he saw some of them as his sorrow deepened. Eventually he released my hand and locked eyes with me.

"You wish to seek out the Romanians."

"And to end them," I said firmly.

He nodded. "I understand the desire, and I share it, but your plan to go alone cannot be supported. There is a reason Stefan and Vladimir have lived as long as they have. They are fierce opponents. If you go alone, you will die."

I didn't particularly care if my mission ended my existence, as long as I took them with me. To show that would be a mistake though, so I nodded agreement and forced a rueful smile.

"Very well, I will take others with me, but they must be ended."

"I am coming," Caius said, rising to his feet.

"Me too," Felix said.

Around the room there was a chorus of voices all offering their assistance. I had underestimated how much Isabella had been loved by those here.

Aro looked around the room and nodded his agreement. "If you take protection, I see no reason you should not be successful. Demetri, do you know where they are?"

"They are still on Elba, Master," Demetri said.

"Very well," Aro said with satisfaction. "We will fight."


	35. Chapter 35: The End

**Chapter Thirty-Five — The End**

**Jasper POV**

I had become what Isabella had hoped to spare me from: A Volturi guard. At least in appearance. I had donned the ash grey cloak to walk in the sun. It felt ironic that I had been given what I once begged for to enable me to be with her, while I now sought the death of those that had ended her life.

The castle had been almost emptied of all life. The only ones that had remained were Aro, my family and a few guards. Aro had wanted to come but Caius cautioned him against. If they were both to fall in the fight there would be no one left to lead the guard and therefore the vampire race.

My family had wanted to come, too, but when I requested that they stayed in the protection of the castle, they had acquiesced. It was partly for their protection that I asked them to stay—I did not want to lose more of my loved ones today—and partly for my own. To defeat Stefan and Vladimir I was going to have to take up the mantle of warrior again. I had not tapped into my abilities since my time in Maria's army, and I did not want my family to see that side of me.

We made slow progress across the Tuscan countryside. The Volturi moved at steady pace, borne of centuries of dedication and tradition. I grew impatient with the speed, but there was nothing to be done. I needed Demetri to find Stefan and Vladimir, and he moved at the pace of his master.

Things became more complicated when we reached the small harbor town of Piombino. There were too many humans around for us to hope they wouldn't notice a dozen people disappearing into the water fully clothed. We searched and found a deserted area of cliffs where we could get into the water unseen. I felt a pang of grief as I remembered cliff diving with Isabella all those months ago. It was before she had known of the mating, when I was besotted with her but she was oblivious. Never could I have imagined then the happiness we would share nor the heartbreak I would suffer.

I dove into the water and immersed myself immediately. Demetri led the way and I followed dutifully. Were it not for the ache in my heart I would have enjoyed the journey. As it was, Isabella's death had stolen all joy from me a replaced it with a burning need for revenge.

We left the water at a deserted bay on the south coast of the island and the slow funeral procession started again.

As we approached Mount Capanne, Demetri came to my side. "Do you wish to see where she fell?" he asked.

"Yes." I did not need to think of my answer. I needed to see the place my love had met her end. I needed all the information possible to make it real in my mind and heart.

We made our way around the base of the mountain, still moving at an excruciatingly slow pace despite the fact we were now out of sight of the humans.

I knew when we were close to the place the battle had been fought as the heady scent of burning vampire was still thick in the air. To think that part of that scent was made by my Isabella threatened to steal the strength from my legs. I forced myself to go on. I needed to see where it had happened.

We stepped out into a large clearing, and my strength did fail. I swayed on my feet and Caius steadied me with a hand on my shoulder. Spread about the clearing were small piles of ash.

"Oh, God, Isabella," I said in a kind of moan.

I was not the only one affected. The faces around me all betrayed the sadness of the moment. I had been doing all I could to shield myself from the emotions around me, but as they all took in the sight before, them I was pelted with shock and depression.

Caius' grip on my shoulder tightened and he spoke. "Can you handle this, Jasper."

I nodded curtly, irritation flaring inside of me. I was not weak, despite what they and Isabella believed. I may have honed my persona into that of a gentleman, but I was as dangerous now as I had been at the height of the Southern Wars. With that thought came anger, surprisingly, even to me, directed at Isabella. Had she not been so hell-bent on protecting me I could have fought alongside her. I could have been an asset not a liability to her own skill. If she had known the real me, she would have known there was little risk to me in battle.

"Jasper, are you well?" Caius asked solicitously, evidently concerned by my sudden stillness.

I nodded but did not attempt to articulate my thoughts. It felt like I was betraying Isabella by thinking these things. She was gone now and I was thinking ill of her. Surely all ill feeling should have been negated in the face of her death. I was grateful that Edward was not there to hear my thoughts. He would have tried to comfort me and I could not have borne that.

I looked at the small mounds of ash surrounding me. Any one of them could be Isabella's, there was no knowing which. Even if I knew which was hers, what could I do? I could scatter her somewhere, but the wind would do that for me. It seemed right that she would leave from the place she had fallen.

Something happened then to draw me out of my thoughts of Isabella; someone nearby was feeling a wave of intense terror. I spun on my heel and searched for the source of the emotion, but no one here looked scared. They were still staring about the clearing with a mixture of shock and sadness.

My feet moved of their own volition across the clearing in the direction of the emotion. I found myself standing outside a large cave at the very foot of the mountain.

"Jasper, what are you doing?" Caius asked with evident concern; perhaps he thought I was losing my wits in the face of my bereavement.

"There is someone here."

The eyes of everyone snapped to me, and they all stiffened visibly. Could this be Stefan and Vladimir cowering in a cave? The idea pleased me immensely.

"You can come out now," I said stiffly, anger building inside me. "We will come in after you if you don't."

There was a whisper of hushed voices in the cave, but no one showed themselves.

I turned to Demetri. "Is it them?"

He shook his head. "It is not them, but the trail is familiar."

Could there have been another survivor of the battle that had taken refuge here? It was not impossible; Eleazar, Afton and Demetri should all have fallen, but had been spared by someone's quick thinking. Not once did I think of my Isabella being returned to me. I had felt the pain as our bond was broken, and that could only have happened if she had died.

"Felix, please retrieve them," Caius said carelessly, flicking an invisible dust mote from his cloak and looking supremely unconcerned. I suspected that, like me, he was tired of delays and wanted to get to the real business of the day—destroying the Romanians.

There was no need for Felix to venture into the cave, however, they came out on their own, albeit slowly. Figures formed in the darkness and then appeared at the mouth of the cave. It was Tomas and a female I supposed was his mate, Lucy.

I felt a wave of mingled sadness and anger at the sight of him. Sadness because I knew how much Isabella had cared for him, and anger because he had been party to Isabella's death. Anger won out and I surged forward to attack him only to be held back my Felix's restraining arms about my chest.

"Let me go!" I struggled against his grip, but he held me fast.

"Calm yourself, Jasper," Caius cautioned. "You will have your revenge, but there are processes that must be observed.

I cared nothing for their processes or purpose. I wanted the satisfaction of feeling another life extinguished at my hands, and seeing through the Volturi version of a trial would not sate that need.

"Don't kill us!" Tomas held his hands up in front of him in a placatory manner. "We didn't do anything wrong."

"You were part of it!" I snarled at him.

"No, Jasper, you don't understand," Tomas said frantically. I growled at the use of my name. He had no right to address me directly.

"We saved her!" The female said boldly. "Didn't she tell you?"

"Whom did you save?" Caius asked.

"Isabella of course."

The words reverberated around my mind. _Isabella of course._ They registered but did not make sense. How could they have saved her if Isabella was dead? What they had said stunned all around me too, and I was able to break from Felix's slackened grip. I tackled Tomas to the ground and pinned him with my knees on his chest.

"Explain!" I said in a low growl.

He had trouble filling his lungs to speak, so I lifted myself slightly, keeping a hand at his throat holding him in place.

"She was hurt," he gabbled. "We took her away and killed Shelly. We healed her."

My mind reeled. What he was saying was beyond my capability to process. Isabella couldn't be alive. I had felt the pain as our bond broke.

"The pain…" I whispered, remembering how it had started at my throat and spread down my body at each joint. The same pain I would have felt had I been dismembered and healed.

Unthinkingly, I released Tomas and got to my feet raking a hand through my hair. Lucy rushed to his side and clung to him as if fearing I may attack again.

"Are you saying Isabella is alive?" Caius asked, the faintest trace of hope in his voice.

"Yes. We healed her," Tomas said.

The strength left my legs and I found myself kneeling on the floor. A strange reaction was taking place inside of me. I was being overwhelmed by waves of elation that were not completely my own. Everyone around me was feeling that same joy.

"Alive," I whispered and then broke into laughter. "She… she's alive!"

"Yes," Tomas said again. "We healed her."

"Thank you." I could think of nothing more to say.

I would have stayed there babbling my gratitude forever were it not for Caius. He gripped my shoulder and I turned to him.

"I rather think we have somewhere to be." He smiled wryly. "Imagine her displeasure if she reaches the castle only to find you gone."

I laughed again. I could easily imagine her ire as she realized I had left to fight without her protection. My wonderfully silly Isabella.

"How long ago did she leave you, Tomas?"

"Not long, an hour at most."

An hour. She would still be on the island then.

I turned to Demetri. "Can you track her?"

He shook his head solemnly. "Her shield blocks my gift."

That damned shield. The same shield that blocked her from Alice's sight. If Alice had been able to see her, we would have known her true fate all along.

"I suggest we find her scent trail," Caius said with an indulgent smile.

Now I concentrated I could smell her distinct scent at the cave and leading away east. I sighed to myself. If I had been paying attention before, I would have noticed it sooner.

"Shall we go?" Felix asked, grinning widely.

"Let's." I smiled back and we set out along Isabella's path.

We no longer moved at the slow, funeral procession march of the Volturi; we raced across the island, all of us eager to find Isabella.

I imagined our reunion. Would she throw herself into my arms or would she still be darkened by Marcus' death. Whatever she was, I planned to take her in my arms and never let go.

I should have known it would not be that easy, however. We were passing through the densely grown trees on the south of the island when echoing bangs reached our ears.

"Is that thunder?" someone asked.

"No," Demetri growled. "That is the Romanians and..."

"Isabella." I finished for him.

Of course it could not be easy. It was Isabella after all. She lived to complicate matters.

I surged towards the sounds, pushing my legs faster than ever. Soon I had left behind the rest of my fellows. My fear for Isabella lent me speed.

The closer I drew the louder the sounds became. I could hear hisses and growls among the collisions. My concern for Isabella grew, and I shouted in my desperation. "Isabella!"

I burst through the trees and into a small clearing. And there she was. My wonderfully beautiful, miraculously living, Isabella. My breath huffed out of me at the sight of her.

My elation soon became concern, though, as I saw the position she was in. An ashy-blond male had her pinned against him with one hand at her chest while a dark-haired male pulled at her left arm, stretching the sockets to breaking points.

"Jasper," she gasped, and then marshaled herself. "A little help, please."

My shock-induced inertia broke and I rushed forward and tackled the man holding her arm to the floor. Aro was right, he was a fierce opponent, but I was better. I slammed him to the ground, and then took one hand in my own and twisted. His hand came away at the wrist and he howled in pain. The sound was music to my ears. I had not felt this surge of battle-lust for almost a century, but now I felt it and relished it. This was the man that had dared to lay his hands on my mate. The man that had plotted against my love's coven and had—or so I had believed—been the cause of her death. I wanted to cause the same pain in him that I had felt upon hearing of Isabella's death.

His arm joined his hand on the floor and I eyed him looking for another target. His left arm was lost to my teeth, and now he was completely at my mercy. I kicked him in the chest sending him stumbling to the floor.

"Please!" he moaned.

"Begging, Vladimir?" a soft voice spoke behind me. "That's not very dignified of you."

I turned to see Isabella kneeling on the back of the dark-haired man, pinning him to the floor. She smiled at me. "Carry on, love."

I laughed and returned my attention to the man flailing on the ground in front of me.

"You can beg all you like, but I used the last of my mercy already today."

He saw the truth in my eyes and I felt his emotion shift to grudging acceptance. He knew he was going to die, but was evidently going to do it like a man. I used one leg to turn him onto his stomach and knelt on his back. My teeth found his neck and I tore away his head and then tossed it to the ground. I quickly tore away his legs and piled the pieces ready for burning.

That done I looked to Isabella. She was still kneeling on top of the vampire I assumed was Stefan.

"Ready for another?" she asked with a quirked brow.

I laughed again. "If you wouldn't mind."

She jumped to her feet in one smooth movement. Stefan stood and looked for a moment as if he was going to try to make a run for it.

"Don't bother, Stefan," my love said. "We'll catch you. Die with dignity."

I rather hoped he wouldn't, I would enjoy fighting him. Unfortunately for me, he seemed to decide dignity was the way to go.

He bowed once to Isabella and then dropped to his knees in front of me with his head tilted to the side. I had never seen anyone act like this in my vampire life, but it reminded me of my human life. A fellow officer once made a blunder that cost us many lives. When the battle was over, he bowed to his superiors and then disappeared into the trees surrounding our camp. A moment later, we heard the gunshot as he took his own life. He had lost his honor in his blunder, but wanted to have the dignity of his own choice of death.

I gave Stefan his dignity and made short work of decapitating him. His body flopped to the floor with an anticlimactic thud.

I stood panting as the finality of death settled over me, then a hand took mine and pulled me from the moment.

"I underestimated you," she said softly. "You are quite the warrior after—"

The rest of her words were cut off as I pulled her into a fierce embrace.

"Oh, Isabella. Oh, my Isabella. I feared I had lost you."

"My Jasper, silly thing, you should have known better than that." She smiled but the horror of what had happened to her was still there in her eyes.

I kissed her, pouring all the love and unsaid words into the kiss. It felt like I would never be able to hold her enough, to kiss her enough, no matter what happened from now on, I would always be left wanting more.

"Jasper." She leaned back and looked me in the eye. "You're projecting, dear. You should really learn to control that."

I laughed again. "Isabella, my Isabella, I love you so very much."

She grinned. "I know."


End file.
